Game One of the Celtics-Knicks series ended in exciting fashion.

Game Two might be more of the same.

One thing is for sure, Carmelo Anthony, known affectionately as Melo, and veteran Paul Pierce, branded a decade ago by now teammate Shaquille O'Neal, as The Truth, will lock horns once again.

Both star forwards were instrumental in the outcome of Game One for the wrong reasons.

Inside the final minute of play, with the Knicks leading by one, Anthony lifted his arm while trying to break free from Pierce's tough defense. The referee called a questionable offensive foul on Anthony, and the ball was back in the hands of the Celtics, who would regain the lead for good with a Ray Allen three-point shot.

Among the elite small forwards in the league, Anthony and Pierce are known for their consistency, and both are coming off sub-par performances.

Even though Pierce had 18 points, he was just six-of-16 from the field and had four turnovers.

Anthony fared worse. He converted only five of his 18 shots, and turned the ball over five times.

More than likely, both Anthony and Pierce will play with a chip on their shoulders in Game Two, as both players have a great deal of pride, and a lot riding on this series.

It's fair to expect Anthony to be more aggressive in Game Two. With Chauncey Billups listed as very questionable, and the Knicks down 1-0 in the series, Anthony will be expected to have a big game.

After all, it was Anthony who took the last shot of the game - a three-pointer that clanked - at the end of the Game One, when there were better options.

Pierce has pressure on him, too. This might be the last chance for the crafty star to win another NBA ring, and making quick work of New York might be the only way to go back to the NBA Finals. The Bulls and Heat are both up 2-0 in their respective series.

How Pierce and Anthony defend each other will be interesting. Anthony has a slight height and weight advantage, so he might want to play with his back to the basket against Pierce instead of fronting him.

On the other side of the ball, the Celtics would love to have the short-handed Knicks lose their best scoring option to foul trouble, and Pierce might be the best player in the league at getting defenders to foul him.

There are plenty of other storylines and match-ups to watch for in Game Two, but Pierce dueling with Anthony promises to be the best.

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