What do you expect when the defending champions or the seed number 2 play? A complete dominance. But, again, every year, the playoffs bring their share of surprises, and this year’s might be unfolding right before our eyes. The Boston Celtics were the team to beat all season, and with their dominance, few thought anyone in the East could really shake them. But here we are, two games down into the Eastern Conference Semis, and something is happening that not everyone saw coming—except Jamal Crawford. He may have dropped a show on the court before, but this time he dropped one in the studio.

On a recent episode of The OGs, hosted by Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem, Jamal Crawford joined the two former NBA veterans to talk about the playoffs. While the conversation bounced between various teams, players, and predictions, things got interesting when Mike asked Crawford who he was eyeing in the East. Jamal Crawford didn’t hesitate.

I think New York’s the biggest threat to ball smoke,  (0:03) And they’ve mastered, and I’ve watched them close now, they’re not caught up in egos. (0:07) And their team is built like that.

He said, “I still like Boston, but I think New York healthy and right could be a formidable opponent…New York’s the biggest threat to Boston.” And as wild as that might’ve sounded a few weeks ago, it’s looking pretty accurate now, and he wasn’t just throwing out names—he had his reasons. “The way they shoot it, and they’re spacing. They’ve mastered, and I’ve watched them close now they’re not caught up in egos,” he explained, pointing to the Knicks’ team-first mindset.

“And how it is, most of the time it’s egos where, nah, I’m the top dog and it’s gotta be like that every night. They’ll float between Batman and Superman. They don’t care. Tonight you get 40, I’ll get 40 tomorrow, and let’s just keep rolling.” That’s the kind of chemistry that can take a team far. And with Mitchell Robinson still not fully fit, Crawford believed they had another gear left to unlock. Fast forward to today, and it seems like he was spot-on. The Knicks have done what many didn’t think was possible: they’ve outplayed Boston so far in both games, despite one being close, stealing momentum, and now leading the series 2–0.

Game 1 was gritty, but Game 2? That’s where the Knicks made a real statement. Boston came out strong, looking like the champs they are, but New York didn’t blink. They rallied behind Brunson and Randle, who were locked in defensively. They flipped the game on its head in the second half. TD Garden was silenced, and for the first time in a long time, it felt like the Knicks truly belonged in these deep championship conversations.

This kind of chemistry and mental toughness doesn’t just show up overnight—it’s built over time. And Jamal Crawford clearly saw it brewing before the rest of us did. What’s more impressive is how the Knicks are doing this without flashy headlines or drama. “They’re built like that,” Jamal said, praising how the players are all about the team, not individual glory. And now, with their backs never seeming to hit the wall, they’re proving to be the exact kind of team that can take down giants, like Boston.

Knicks shock Celtics again: Inside game 2’s comeback thriller

Jalen Brunson stood at the free-throw line with 12.7 seconds left on the clock. The crowd was roaring as the game was on the line. Calm and composed, he sank both shots to give the Knicks a one-point lead with the buzzer ringing shortly. “I got up there, heard the noise and then I just tried to block everything out,” Brunson said. “And then I made two.”

That clutch moment capped off another wild comeback. The Knicks were down 20 in the third and still trailed by 12 in the fourth. But again, they rallied. Josh Hart poured in a game-high 23 points, but Mikal Bridges’ 14 points in the final quarter helped the Knicks win.

Karl-Anthony Towns gave them muscle inside, finishing with 21 points and 17 rebounds. And in the final moments, New York’s defense stood tall, with Bridges stripping the ball and ending Boston’s last-gasp effort. “We started slowly, got in a big hole, dug our way out,” said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. “Our guys were at their best when their best was needed.”

Boston coach Joe Mazzulla summed it up best. “They made the necessary plays to win,” he said. “We didn’t.” Game 3 shifts to Madison Square Garden tomorrow, and suddenly, the Celtics are the ones facing pressure. As Jamal Crawford said, it might just be New York’s time.