BOSTON — Oh, there was spinning aplenty in the stunned streets of this city in the hours after Game 1. From Beacon Hill to Back Bay, from Southie to the South End, from Mission Hill to Mattapan — so many citizens, so much denial. 

The Knicks beat the Celtics on Monday night, Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, and it’s hard to say the civic confidence was exactly shattered, at least on the surface. Much of the social-media coping went this way: A sweep would’ve been nice, but a gentleman’s sweep will work, too. 

Mostly, the narrative went this way (add a Boston accent to the mix if you’d like to augment the authenticity): 

“We got careless and sleepy up 20 … and we didn’t get anything out of Porzingis … and there’s no way we’re gonna miss 45 3s ever again … a few stops in the third and it’s a 30-point win and the Knicks are put in their place …”