Yes, the Celtics know all about the Idiots and Big Papi and Manny and Dave Roberts. And the Celtics would love to draw a parallel between the 2004 Red Sox and their rally to overtake the Yankees from an 0-3 deficit and their own predicament.
But not just yet.
"I seen it. It was tremendous," Celtics sharpshooter Jason Terry said about the Red Sox fabled comeback. "Papi is a neighbor. I'm very familiar with what they did and the history they made. Is it a motivating factor for us? It helps, but that alone is not going to win the series."
No, but the Celtics are at least halfway home. After their 92-86 victory over the Knicks in Game 5 at the Garden last night, the Celtics, down 0-3 a few days ago, have made the series 3-2 with Game 6 set for Boston on Friday.
Anthony J Causi
HIGHS & LOWS: Boston's Jason Terry was happy about the Celtics' 92-86 Game 5 win last night at the Garden. Carmelo Anthony not so much.
But no one is celebrating anything. At least not until maybe Roberts pinch runs.
"We're still down so our mentality has to be all out," said Kevin Garnett, who followed up a pair of monster 17-rebound games with 18 rebounds last night while playing 39 minutes. "We're down 3-2. The next game we lose is it. I don't know what everybody is talking about with getting comfortable, feeling good. We're down 3-2. It's not like we evened it up and are going back home."
KNICKS PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
But the Knicks had planned on no return trip to Boston. They even dressed in black for the game, which was supposed to be Celtics Funeral Night. Ooops.
"You're only buried if the casket is closed. But us getting that win [Sunday in Game 4] opened the door a little bit," Terry said. "The win tonight opens it a little bit more. If we can even this up, then it's anybody's series."
The Celtics sure seemed headed for the grave last night. They were down 11-0 in the raucous Garden and looked like they were trying out for a Sunday beer league.
"We maintained our poise. On their floor. With our backs against the wall," said Paul Pierce, who finished with 16 points after a scoreless, 0-of-6 shooting first quarter. "Everybody just wanted to get this back to Boston for a Game 6."
And they did so by coming back from that early hole then beating back every run the Knicks made.
"We hung in there," said a relieved Doc Rivers, who before the game admitted how fitting it would be for a Celtics team from one of the most storied franchises ever to be the first to rally from 0-3 down.
"[The pressure] is on us still. And them. But it's definitely on us still," Rivers said. "It's another Game 7 for us, every game since we've been down 3-0 has been Game 7 for us. And that's the way we've been viewing it."
And maybe, the Knicks are starting to feel it?
"I really don't care about their mindset or what they're going through," Terry said. "It's more about how we approach Game 7 for us."
fred.kerber@nypost.com
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