New York Knicks (10-45) at Boston Celtics (21-33), 7:30 p.m. (ET)
(SportsNetwork.com) - The Boston Celtics are clinging to faint playoff hopes in the weak Eastern Conference and will resume their push Wednesday versus the New York Knicks in the opener of a three-game homestand.
The Celtics are two games off the eighth seed in the East and will also welcome the Charlotte Hornets and Golden State Warriors to Beantown.
Boston ended a two-game slide and closed out a three-game western road trip with Monday's 115-110 triumph over the Phoenix Suns. Former Suns guard Isaiah Thomas finished with 21 points and seven assists in his second game with the Celtics, who acquired the guard prior to last Thursday's trade deadline.
"I just wanted to get a win at the end of the day but it feels good to beat the team that traded you away," Thomas said.
Thomas scored nine points in the fourth quarter and stared down the Phoenix bench after converting a four-point play.
Avery Bradley had 23 points and six steals, while Brandon Bass added 18 points and six rebounds for the Celtics, who have won five of their last eight games
The Celtics are unbeaten in their last three home games and have a 12-15 record at TD Garden this season.
New York is mired in a seven-game losing streak and is winless in its last five road games. It will visit Detroit Friday night and is 3-24 on the road.
The Knicks were last in action Sunday and suffered a lopsided 101-83 loss to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. James and Kyrie Irving each scored 18 points in limited minutes for the Cavs, who had a comfortable 36-17 lead after the first quarter.
"They were able to score 20 points in the first six minutes," Knicks coach Derek Fisher said. "You allow a team on the road to come in and get that type of rhythm, it's hard to slow it down."
Langston Galloway led six New York players in double figures with 13 points, while Lance Thomas, Andrea Bargnani and Quincy Acy had 11 points apiece. Lou Amundson and Travis Wear both had 10 points for the Knicks, who shot 37.4 percent and failed to reach 100 points for a ninth straight game.
New York is second-to-last in scoring with 92.3 ppg and has split two games with Boston this season. The two Atlantic Division foes will meet again March 27 at MSG. The Celtics ended a three-game slide in this series with a 108-97 triumph on Feb. 3 in the Big Apple.
The Knicks have won two in a row and three of four trips to New England.