Pre-Game: Knicks game to be big test for Boston.

After a rocky start, the Celtics appear to be coming into their own (9-4), more than doubling their win-to-loss ratio, but those victories haven't come against an elite team.

Sure, the young squads from Philadelphia, Charlotte & Indiana are no pushovers and besting them should be considered as legitimate victories. But respectively they are not on the level of the New York Knicks, Miami Heat (the reigning NBA champions) or New Jersey (who blew out Boston a few games back).

So, to outlast the Knicks in the garden would be a stepping stone for the Celtics, whose proficient team play has garnered them a 4 game win streak. Can the dazzling talents of Rajon Rondo stun Knicks fans on Tuesday night? How about the fantastic bench effort from Josh Howard, Kenyon Martin and recent acquisition Derek Fisher?

One thing is certain going into tonight's game: the Big 3 of Boston (Pierce, KG & Rondo) need to play up to par if they are going to survive the mad dash onslaught of the Knicks, which promises to include many highlight reel dunks and corner 3's by J.R. Smith and star performances by Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire.

New to the opposition's weapons is veteran point guard, Jason Kidd, and free agent pickup, Raymond Felton, who will add more weight to NY's electric offense. On the flipside, how will the penetrative talents of Rajon Rondo stack up against the new defensive wall around the rim, thanks to NY acquiring Marcus Camby in the off-season to aid Tyson Chandler in the front court?