Here We Go Again!
“I don’t know where I’m going
But I sure know where I’ve been
Hanging on the promises in songs of yesterday
And I’ve made up my mind
I ain’t wasting no more time
Here I go again, here I go again”
— Whitesnake
It’s that time of year again. After a whirlwind offseason—one of the busiest in recent memory—opening night 2024 is finally upon us. And there’s no more fitting tune to echo through the minds of Knicks fans and players alike than one of redemption. The Knicks, who fell just one Game 7 shy of the Eastern Conference Finals last season, are back on the court tonight.
The good news? New York Knicks basketball is officially back tonight. The bad news? The Knicks are opening their season as the underdog against the defending champion Boston Celtics, and NBA history is not on their side. Last year, the defending champion Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 119-107 in their season opener, marking the 61st time in 77 seasons that the reigning champions won their first game—a winning percentage of .792.
Just three days shy of the date that the Knicks and Celtics played each other on opening night 2023, the defending champs are welcoming the Knicks into their own Garden to experience their championship banner and ring ceremony. Coming off a league best record of 64-18 last season, including a league best 37-4 record at home, plus their 18th NBA championship, Boston will be basking in all the glory tonight. But being forced to sit through that ceremony should light a fire under the Knicks, who finished last year with a record of 50-32, giving them all the motivation they need to spoil the celebration. Knicks players, staff, and fans alike believe that if not for injuries, it could’ve been New York raising that banner this year.
While the Celtics’ lineup tomorrow night will largely resemble the one the Knicks faced in the 2023-24 opener, led by their All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown—minus the injured Kristaps Porzingis—the Knicks’ roster looks quite different. Tonight brings the long-awaited regular-season debuts of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, as well as the highly anticipated return of a fully healthy OG Anunoby.
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Though the Knicks are starting the season with some injury concerns, and a thinner bench than everyone hoped for, there hasn’t been this much excitement and championship optimism heading into a season since 1994-95, following the team’s Finals appearance the previous year.
The Knicks’ preseason was marked by both highs and lows. On the positive side, the team finished with an impressive 4-1 record, with their only loss coming by just one point to the Washington Wizards. However, the negatives are going to play a significant impact on the Knicks as they kick off their season tonight.
For one, an already thin bench became even thinner when Landry Shamet suffered a shoulder injury last Tuesday, which ultimately led to his release from the team. Adding to the Knicks’ injury woes, Precious Achiuwa sustained a hamstring injury during the team’s final preseason game. He will be re-evaluated in 2-4 weeks, though that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll return within that timeframe. Knicks fans can only expect an updated timeline for his return then, but for now, his status remains uncertain.
On a more concerning note, Mikal Bridges seems to have left his jump shot back in Brooklyn—and unfortunately, it looks like Spike Lee didn’t bring it back with him from the Liberty game at Barclays. After altering his shooting form, Bridges struggled mightily during the preseason, going just 2-for-19 from three.
Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
With Donte DiVincenzo traded as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns deal and Shamet now off the roster due to injury, the Knicks currently have a three-point shooting issue to address and the season hasn’t even begun—something that wasn’t a problem for them at all last season.
Projected Starters
Boston Celtics:
G – Jrue Holiday
G – Derrick White
F – Jaylen Brown
F – Jayson Tatum
C – Al Horford
New York Knicks:
G – Jalen Brunson
G – Josh Hart
F – Mikal Bridges
F – OG Anunoby
C – Karl-Anthony Towns
Prediction
Last season the Celtics had the Knicks number 5 out of 6 times. The Knicks’ lone victory vs. the C’s came on April 11th, when they defeated Boston 118-109, largely thanks to Jalen Brunson’s outstanding 39-point performance on 15-23 shooting. While NBA history may not be on the Knicks’ side tonight, there would be nothing sweeter than watching the Knicks spoil the Celtics’ festivities tonight and watching the Knicks new dynamic duo of Brunson and Towns outduel the Celtic duo of Tatum and Brown.
Knicks 115, Celtics 107.
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks at Boston Celtics
When: 7:30 pm EST, Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Watch: TNT