For the primary time since 2009, the Celtics will start their season with a banner being raised to the rafters and the gamers receiving their 2024 Championship rings. After that, they must get all the way down to enterprise as they face the retooled New York Knicks of their season opener. With the addition of Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Cities, the Knicks are being touted as the largest risk to a repeat championship for the Celtics.
Final season, the Celtics led the collection between these two groups, profitable 4 video games and dropping only one. Within the preseason, each groups went 4-1, profitable the primary 4 video games and dropping the ultimate recreation by 1 level. They are going to face one another 4 instances this season starting with their season opener. They may even meet on February 9, February 23, and April 8. The Celtics are 304-190 total all time vs the Knicks and they’re 164-68 in video games performed at house.
The Knicks made strikes this offseason with the aim of matching up higher with the Celtics. In Mikal Bridges, the Knicks added a wing defender who can counter the Celtics All Star wings and who also can unfold the ground. He additionally provides chemistry with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart who received a championship in 2016 with Villanova. With the addition of Karl-Anthony Cities, they’ve addressed their weak point at middle. Cities can match up with the Celtics facilities and also can hit the three, having received the three level contest in 2022.
The one query concerning the Knicks new roster is their depth. Having misplaced Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, Keita Bates-Diop, Alec Burks, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Isaiah Hartenstein, the Knicks roster is at simply 12 gamers. They’re arduous capped and simply 3.58 million beneath the 2nd apron. Their roster will be beneath 14 gamers for simply 28 days over the season and not more than 14 days at a time. It has been rumored that they could go after Lonnie Walker IV after the Celtics waived him. or, they could convert a 2 means contract to the common roster.
The Celtics can be with out Kristaps Porzingis who’s recovering from ankle surgical procedure within the off season and isn’t anticipated again till a while in December. For the Knicks, middle Mitchell Robinson is out till a minimum of December after two procedures on his left ankle. Again up middle Treasured Achiuwa injured his hamstring within the ultimate preseason recreation and can be reevaluated in 2-4 weeks. Two Manner participant Kevin McCullar, Jr (knee) can be out for this recreation.
Possible Celtics Starters
PG: Jrue Vacation
SG: Derrick White
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Al Horford
Celtics Reserves
Sam Hauser
Luke Kornet
Payton Pritchard
Neemias Queta
Baylor Scheierman
Jaden Springer
Xavier Tillman, Sr
Jordan Walsh
2 Manner Gamers
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Anton Watson
Accidents/Out
Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) out
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible Knicks Starters
PG: Jalen Brunson
SG: Mikal Bridges
SF: Josh Hart
PF: OG Anunoby
C: Karl-Anthony Cities
Knicks Reserves
Pacome Dadiet
Cameron Payne
Miles McBride
Tyler Kolek
Jericho Sims
2 Manner Gamers
Jacob Toppin
Kevin McCullar, Jr
Ariel Hukporti
Accidents/Out
Treasured Achiuwa (hamstring) out
Mitchell Robinson (ankle) out
Kevin McCullar, Jr (knee) out
Head Coach
Tom Thibodeau
Key Matchups
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Jrue Vacation
Picture by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE through Getty Photos
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Jalen Brunson
Picture by Evan Bernstein/Getty Photos
Jrue Vacation vs Jalen Brunson
Knicks’ All Star Jalen Brunson was fifth in MVP voting final season. Final season he averaged 28.7 factors, 3.6 rebounds, and 6.7 assists whereas taking pictures 47.9% from the sphere and 40.1% from past the arc. Within the preseason, in 22.7 mpg, he averaged 21.5 factors, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists whereas taking pictures 57% from the sphere and 43.8% from past the arc. This ought to be a superb matchup.
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Al Horford
Picture by Adam Glanzman/Getty Photos
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Karl-Anthony Cities
Picture by Scott Taetsch/Getty Photos
Al Horford vs Karl-Anthony Cities
Cities will give the Knicks a robust presence within the paint together with the flexibility to unfold the ground. Final season, Cities averaged 21.8 factors, 8.3 rebounds, and three.0 assists. He shot 50.4% from the sphere and 41.6% from past the arc. Within the preseason, he averaged 18.3 factors, 11.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals per recreation. He struggled together with his shot, taking pictures simply 37.5% from the sphere and 17.4% from past the arc. Luke Kornet began 4 of the 5 video games within the preseason for the Celtics and should begin this recreation, however I’m guessing that Horford will get the beginning.
Honorable Point out
Derrick White vs Mikal Bridges
The Knicks are hoping that Bridges will give them a leg up in opposition to the Celtics. He is an effective 2 means participant who can decelerate the Celtics star wings and likewise make them work on the defensive finish. Final season, Bridges averaged 19.6 factors, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1 steal per recreation. He shot 43.6% from the sphere and 37.2% from past the arc. Within the preseason, like Cities, he struggled together with his shot and averaged 10.8 factors, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists whereas taking pictures 41% from the sphere and simply 10.5% from past the arc.
Keys to the Sport
Protection – Protection is the important thing to profitable each recreation. Within the preseason, the Celtics have been 2nd with 121.8 factors per recreation whereas the Knicks have been seventh with 114.2 factors per recreation. The Celtics has a defensive score of 104.6 (twelfth) whereas the Knicks has a defensive score of 102.5 (eighth). The Knicks introduced in gamers within the off season to spice up their protection. The Celtics’ protection final season was prime 2 and they should make protection a precedence once more this season in the event that they hope to repeat as champions.
Rebound – The Celtics can’t rating in the event that they don’t have the ball, and one of the best ways to get the ball is the seize rebounds. The Celtics have to rebound as a group with each Celtic battling on the boards. The Celtics have been seventeenth within the preseason with 45.6 rebounds per recreation whereas the Knicks have been twelfth within the preseason with 46.8 rebounds per recreation. Rebounding takes effort and so the Celtics must put out extra effort to beat the Knicks on the boards.
3 Level Taking pictures – The Celtics led the league in 3 pointers tried per recreation final season and upped their 3 level recreation within the preseason, taking 52.6 threes per recreation. The Knicks have been twelfth taking 41 threes per recreation. When the Celtics are hitting their 3’s, they’re powerful to beat. However, when their threes aren’t falling, then they battle and provides the opponent an edge. If the threes aren’t falling, they should get into the paint to attain in different methods.
Depth and Chemistry – The Celtics introduced again just about the identical group as they fielded final season Whereas the Knicks overhauled their roster to attempt to match up higher with the Celtics. The Celtics are a deep group and so they have had 2 years beneath Joe Mazzulla to develop chemistry, get snug of their roles, and grow to be a properly oiled machine. The Knicks, however are incorporating 2 new gamers into their beginning lineup and are nonetheless engaged on their chemistry. Additionally, their depth took a success after they made the trades and so the Celtics 2nd unit ought to have a bonus.
X-Components
Ring Night time – The Celtics can be getting their rings and elevating Banner 18 to the rafters earlier than the sport. They are going to be excited and probably distracted. Then again, the Knicks are available hungry and centered on beating the Celtics this season and getting their very own rings a yr from now. Will the Celtics have the ability to put the thrill of getting their rings and hanging the banner behind them and concentrate on the sport?
Dwelling Sport – Each groups are properly rested, though the Celtics have been off every week whereas the Knicks have simply been off since Friday. The Celtics have to benefit from house court docket and the increase their followers can provide them. The Knicks will face a hostile crowd and an unfamiliar enviornment together with journey which is able to hopefully give the Celtics the sting.
Officiating – Officiating all the time has the potential to be an x-factor. Every officiating crew calls the sport in a different way. Some refs name it tight and consistently name fouls whereas others allow them to play with few fouls referred to as. The Celtics want to regulate to how the refs are calling the sport and never enable unhealthy calls or no calls to remove their focus. The Celtics can’t afford to permit the opposite group to go on taking part in whereas Celtics gamers are hanging again and complaining about calls.
