One of the biggest tests for the Knicks, for the pleasure of a national audience.
This one’s been circled on the calendar for a while, folks: tonight the New York Knicks (34-17) host the Boston Celtics (36-16) at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks are creeping up on the Celtics in the standings. They are second place in the conference and have been in excellent form lately, winning seven of its last eight games, thanks to the All-Star efforts of Karl-Anthony Towns and the ‘Nova Knicks.
The Celtics, coming off a 127-120 loss to the Luka-less Dallas, have not lost consecutive games since Christmas. They have won seven of their last ten tries. Discipline is the key to success, and head coach Joe Mazzulla (36-16) running like a machine most nights. His team plays excellent offense and defense (fourth and sixth in the league, respectively), protects the ball better than anyone, committing just 11.8 turnovers per game, and fouls only 16.5 per contest.
When last they met: The Celtics dominated the Knicks 132-109 on October 22, 2024, tying an NBA record with 29 made three-pointers. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 37 points (8-of-11 from three), while Derrick White added 24 points. The Knicks struggled defensively, allowing Boston to shoot 47.5% from deep. Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride led New York with 22 points each, while Mikal Bridges (16 points) and Karl-Anthony Towns (12 points, seven rebounds) had quiet debuts.
As you might have heard, the longball is Boston’s forte. The Celts take and make the league’s most three-pointers, making 17.7 per game, and take the fewest two-point attempts. They will could feast from the perimeter tonight if New York’s OG Anunoby (ankle) sits and Josh Hart is hampered by his sore knee.
In Boston’s backcourt, Derrick White will start at the point. White is averaging a career-high 16.1 points per game and 8.8 three-point attempts per game, making 38%. He’s still a tough defender, with a 112 rating. Beside him, Jayen Brown is averaging 23.2 points and a career-high 4.3 assists per game; he’s also having his worst season from deep, making just 33% on six attempts per night.
From the frontcourt, Jayson Tatum leads the brigade with per game averages of 26.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists. He’ll be teamed up with the league’s favorite grandpa Al Horford and . . . that’s right, the Unisnake! OAKAAKUYOAK Kristaps Porziņģis has averaged 19.1 points, seven rebounds, and two assists in 27 games for Boston this season. He’s hitting 41% from deep on six attempts per game and is sure to give Karl-Anthony Towns a cardio workout tonight.
For Boston, Jrue Holiday and Torrey Craig are both listed as OUT on the injury report; for New York, Karl-Anthony Towns (knee), Josh Hart (knee), and OG Anunoby (ankle) are all listed as game-time decisions.
Prediction
ESPN.com favors the Celtics at 64%. Say what? The defending champs are definitely disciplined defensively, and they obliterate opponents offensively, but the have-you-seen-us-lately Knicks have beaten quality opponents over the past month as they’ve started to gel beautifully. The ‘Bockers are making believers around the league—but confidence in their chances as a true contender will definitely be swayed by tonight’s outcome. A win tonight is likely to rocket them to the top of all those power rankings lists; a loss will dampen such optimism, at least for the short term. Never fear, folks! Tonight will be a thriller for the national audience—a tight, high-stakes battle at the Garden that comes down to the wire, with our heroes squeaking out a +1 win. You’ll be glad you stayed up. Go Knicks!
Game Details
Teams: New York Knicks (34-17) vs Boston Celtics (36-16)
Location: Madison Square Garden, NYC
Date and Time: Saturday, February 8, 2025, 8:30 PM ET
Broadcast: ABC and ESPN2
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky