In the era of the best-of-five series for the first round, the opening round games always ended quickly.
In the Eastern Conference, the Celtics defeated the New York Knicks 3:1 in the first round.
Patrick Ewing had made it into the playoffs for the first time in his career.
He averaged 18 points, 14 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game, with a shooting percentage of 49%.
His performance could only be described as par for the course, as continuous injuries hindered Ewing's development.
Moreover, Bob Knight's assessment during the Olympic Training Camp was not wrong—Ewing lacked imagination and creativity in the offensive end.
In the NCAA, his pure defensive skills could win the championship, but in the NBA, the approach of Bill Russell from the past no longer sufficed.
