New York Knicks swept out of playoffs by Boston Celtics in 4 games

Following the New York Rangers’ lead (they were eliminated from the playoffs by the Washington Capitals on Saturday), the Knicks lost their series to the Boston Celtics on Sunday in a 4-game sweep. The losses further extend the Knicks’ postseason futility streak, having not won a postseason game in over 10 years. The silver lining, however, is that next year the team will enjoy its first full season with superstars Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony (who was added at the trade deadline), and are likely to add a supporting cast in the offseason. After qualifying for the playoffs only once during the 9 seasons before this one, we can expect to see the Knicks in the playoffs on an annual basis going forward. Here are a mix of photos from the two games (Games 3 and 4) at Madison Square Garden. Photos by Avi Gerver, ©Madison Square Garden, L.P.

A passionate Knicks fans waits for the doors to open:

The Knicks enter the arena for warmups:

Playoff-style player introductions:

New York’s Amar’e Stoudemire (#1) battles for a rebound:

The greatest basketball fans in the world:

The Madison Square Garden arena packed with fans in Knicks orange:

Knicks Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony congratulate Celtics Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett on their series win:

Amar’e Stoudemire fields questions from the media after his team is eliminated:

Carmelo Anthony: