The Celtics finished business with Orlando after a chippy but controlled series-clincher last Tuesday night. Jayson Tatum exploded for a 35-point spectacle, dominating wherever he wanted, anywhere on the parquet. Orlando’s young squad fought back, going at established Celtics veterans and subscribing to a true “playoff basketball” mentality.

The Celtics rallied off two straight wins after their loss to the Magic in game three, which had fans questioning if this team could find the same success they did last spring. However, I’d argue the opposite. I liked the way the Celtics battled against adversity and continued to find ways to win despite shots not falling. Orlando has the second-best rated defense in the league, with elite size and lengthy wings to challenge outside shooting. On top of that, the Magic had the league’s slowest 96.91 pace in the regular season. Add these two together, and you get a nightmare playoff opponent that won’t give you any easy games.

This series was always going to be close, but the Celtics showed a command and presence that allowed them to pull away when they needed to — something I didn’t feel last year. The major storyline throughout the series was the physical play from Orlando, causing Tatum to re-injure his shooting wrist on a questionable undercut from Caldwell-Pope, now touted in his infamous new celebration, and Brown to dislocate his finger on a hard foul from Cole Anthony.

While I don’t enjoy the injuries, I kind of love the intensity that Orlando ignited in the Celtics. In a playoff run last year, where the team steamrolled its way to a ring, this trash-talking, grudge-holding, macho persona was almost unneeded. This year, there is no “easy path” to the championship, but this new C’s identity can help them set the tone when they take on their little brothers of the East and possibly in the championship against Finals-virgins Oklahoma City.

Okay, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. Let’s focus on the task at hand, as the New York Knicks roll into town on Monday night for Game One. The Knicks finished off the stubborn Pistons on the back of now Big Apple legend Jalen Brunson, who KO’d MoTown with a hobbled 40-point clinic.

The Celtics are currently massive favorites, but let’s break down the matchups. The Knicks stole Brad Stevens’ blueprints this offseason, going all in on the weak link and filling out this Knicks lineup with capable scorers. Despite this, the Celtics have proven to be the premium model.

Boston beat the Knicks in all four of the team’s bouts, and in dominant fashion. Tatum has picked apart this Knicks defense all season and could be due for an explosive series. Anunoby will look to be the assignment and, on paper, would be the right size defender for Tatum’s combination of height and speed. In the last matchup between these two, Tatum went 11-22 from the field, finishing with 32 points. Anunoby’s assignment becomes that much harder when Towns is stretched out of the paint by Porzingis, leaving him on an island with Tatum, who is simply too good one-on-one.

It will be interesting to see how the Knicks play Porzingis as they try to help off him when the Celtics drive, which makes him one of the most important factors of this series. KP went 2-17 from beyond the arch in Round One, and it severely limited the Celtics’ patented drive-and-kick formula that serves as the oil to the team’s offensive machine. If Porzingis shows up from three this series, the Knicks will be forced to make some uncomfortable changes to their lineups and matchups. Brunson has established himself as one of the biggest “playoff risers” in the association, but the Celtics have so many looks to throw at the gritty guard. Asaur Thompson gave a valiant effort in Round One but was a bit too immature to keep up with Brunson’s tricky play style. Holiday and White are two of the most disciplined defenders in the league and have given Brunson problems in the past.

I have some concerns about KAT’s ability to space the floor and force Porzingis out to the three-point line as the paint opens up for Brunson drives. I could see Mazzula giving Horford a hearty dosage of minutes without KP on KAT, who is better at closing out at the arch. Pritchard had a rough series against the lofty Magic, but a bounce-back series for him seems inevitable. PP becomes more playable with Brunson or McBride on the court for 48 minutes, and the Celtics will rely on him to put pressure on the rim so their shooters can space the floor.

There’s a reason the C’s went 4-0 against the Knicks this year. The Knicks are the off-brand. Luigi to Mario. Donnie Whalberg — sorry, Donnie, you were cool on Celtics City — to Mark. Celtics lose Game Three to a rowdy Madison Square Garden, throw Game Five away, but end little bro’s dreams in ‘The Mecca.’ Celtics in six.