Knicks (0-0) at Celtics (0-0) Game #1 10/22/24
Oct 21, 2024 18:57:32 GMT -5
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 21, 2024 18:57:32 GMT -5
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New York Knicks (0-0) at Boston Celtics (0-0)
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
7:30 PM ET
Regular Season Game [HASH]1 Home Game [HASH]1
TV: TNT
Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub, 98.7 ESPN NY, Sirius XM
TD Garden
Probable Celtics Starters
PG
SG
SF
PF
C
PG: Jrue Holiday
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 Way Players
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Anton Watson
Injuries/Out
Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) out
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Probable Starters
PG
SG
SF
PF
C
PG: Jalen Brunson
SG: Mikal Bridges
SF: Josh Hart
PF: OG Anunoby
C: Karl-Anthony Towns
Knicks Reserves
Pacome Dadiet
Cameron Payne
Miles McBride
Tyler Kolek
Jericho Sims
2 Way Players
Jacob Toppin
Kevin McCullar, Jr
Ariel Hukporti
Injuries/Out
Precious Achiuwa (hamstring) out
Mitchell Robinson (ankle) out
Jacob Toppin (ankle) questionable
Kevin McCullar, Jr (knee) questionable
Head Coach
Tom Thibodeau
Game Notes
For the first time since 2009, the Celtics season will begin with a banner being raised to the rafters and the players receiving their 2024 Championship rings. After that, they will have to get down to business as they face the retooled New York Knicks in their season opener. With the addition of Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks are being touted as the biggest threat to a repeat championship for the Celtics.
The Knicks made moves this offseason with the goal of matching up better with the Celtics. In Mikal Bridges, the Knicks added a wing defender who can counter the Celtics All Star wings and who can also spread the floor. He also adds chemistry with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart who won a championship in 2016 with Villanova. With the addition of Karl-Anthony Towns, they have addressed their weakness at center. Towns can match up with the Celtics centers and can also hit the three, having won the 3 point contest in 2022.
The one question about the Knicks new roster is their depth. Having lost Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, Keita Bates-Diop, Alec Burks, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Isaiah Hartenstein, the Knicks roster is at just 12 players. They are hard capped and just 3.58 million below the 2nd apron. Their roster can be below 14 players for just 28 days over the season and no more than 14 days at a time. It has been rumored that they may go after Lonnie Walker IV after the Celtics waived him. or, they may convert a 2 way contract to the regular roster.
The Celtics will be without Kristaps Porzingis who is recovering from ankle surgery in the off season and is not expected back until some time in December. For the Knicks, center Mitchell Robinson is out until at least December after two procedures on his left ankle. Back up center Precious Achiuwa injured his hamstring in the final preseason game and will be reevaluated in 2-4 weeks. Two Way players Jacob Toppin (ankle) and Kevin McCullar, Jr (knee) are both questionable for this game.
Key Matchups
vs Jrue Holiday vs Jalen Brunson
Knicks' All Star Jalen Brunson was 5th in MVP voting last season. Last season he averaged 28.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 6.7 assists while shooting 47.9% from the field and 40.1% from beyond the arc. In the preseason, in 22.7 mpg, he averaged 21.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists while shooting 57% from the field and 43.8% from beyond the arc. This should be a good matchup.
vs Al Horford vs Karl-Anthony Towns
Towns will give the Knicks a strong presence in the paint along with the ability to spread the floor. Last season, Towns averaged 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. He shot 50.4% from the field and 41.6% from beyond the arc. In the preseason, he averaged 18.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He struggled with his shot, shooting just 37.5% from the field and 17.4% from beyond the arc. Luke Kornet started 4 of the 5 games in the preseason for the Celtics and may start this game, but I'm guessing that Horford will get the start.
Honorable Mention
Derrick White vs Mikal Bridges
The Knicks are hoping that Bridges will give them a leg up against the Celtics. He is a good 2 way player who can slow down the Celtics star wings and also make them work on the defensive end. Last season, Bridges averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1 steal per game. He shot 43.6% from the field and 37.2% from beyond the arc. In the preseason, like Towns, he struggled with his shot and averaged 10.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 41% from the field and just 10.5% from beyond the arc.
Keys to the Game
Defense - Defense is the key to winning every game. In the preseason, the Celtics were 2nd with 121.8 points per game while the Knicks were 7th with 114.2 points per game. The Celtics has a defensive rating of 104.6 (12th) while the Knicks has a defensive rating of 102.5 (8th). The Knicks brought in players in the off season to boost their defense. The Celtics' defense last season was top 2 and they need to make defense a priority again this season if they hope to repeat as champions.
Rebound - The Celtics can't score if they don't have the ball, and the best way to get the ball is the grab rebounds. The Celtics need to rebound as a team with every Celtic battling on the boards. The Celtics were 17th in the preseason with 45.6 rebounds per game while the Knicks were 12th in the preseason with 46.8 rebounds per game. Rebounding takes effort and so the Celtics have to put out more effort to beat the Knicks on the boards.
3 Point Shooting - The Celtics led the league in 3 pointers attempted per game last season and upped their 3 point game in the preseason, taking 52.6 threes per game. The Knicks were 12th taking 41 threes per game. When the Celtics are hitting their 3's, they are tough to beat. But, when their threes aren't falling, then they struggle and give the opponent an edge. If the threes aren't falling, they need to get into the paint to score in other ways.
Depth and Chemistry - The Celtics brought back pretty much the same team as they fielded last season While the Knicks overhauled their roster to try to match up better with the Celtics. The Celtics are a deep team and they have had 2 years under Joe Mazzulla to develop chemistry, get comfortable in their roles, and become a well oiled machine. The Knicks, on the other hand are incorporating 2 new players into their starting lineup and are still working on their chemistry. Also, their depth took a hit when they made the trades and so the Celtics 2nd unit should have an advantage.
X-Factors
Ring Night - The Celtics will be getting their rings and raising Banner 18 to the rafters before the game. They will be excited and possibly distracted. On the other hand, the Knicks come in hungry and focused on beating the Celtics this season and getting their own rings a year from now. Will the Celtics be able to put the excitement of getting their rings and hanging the banner behind them and focus on the game?
Home Game - Both teams are well rested, although the Celtics have been off a week while the Knicks have just been off since Friday. The Celtics need to take advantage of home court and the boost their fans can give them. The Knicks will face a hostile crowd and an unfamiliar arena along with travel which will hopefully give the Celtics the edge.
Officiating - Officiating always has the potential to be an x-factor. Each officiating crew calls the game differently. Some refs call it tight and constantly call fouls while others let them play with few fouls called. The Celtics need to adjust to how the refs are calling the game and not allow bad calls or no calls to take away their focus. The Celtics can't afford to allow the other team to go on playing while Celtics players are hanging back and complaining about calls.
