BOSTON — The NBA season kicked off on Tuesday night with a matchup between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks. Jalen Brunson referred to this game as a solid gauge of the Knicks’ progress against the reigning champions, despite being the first game of the season.
However, rather than a tightly contested game, the primary focus at TD Garden was witnessing the Celtics celebrate their record-setting 18th NBA championship banner. Boston cruised to a 132-109 victory over New York, but the main excitement came as the Celtics attempted to break the NBA record for 3-pointers made in a single game during the final 8:54.
After Al Horford hit Boston’s third consecutive 3-pointer at the start of the fourth quarter, the Celtics tied the Milwaukee Bucks’ record with 29 makes. Following this, they missed 13 straight attempts, including several air balls, ultimately failing to set a new record.
“It felt like we got jinxed or something,” said Celtics forward Jaylen Brown. “When we were playing our game, everything was falling. But once the crowd got into it and we started forcing things, we couldn’t hit anything. We had good looks, but the shots just wouldn’t fall.”
Before the scoring drought, the Celtics excelled from beyond the arc, finishing the game with 29 successful 3-pointers out of 48 attempts. They also displayed impressive teamwork, recording 33 assists against just three turnovers. Jayson Tatum starred with 37 points, shooting 14-for-18 and 8-for-11 from 3-point range.
Despite the impressive start, the Celtics went cold when it counted. Even as the crowd chanted for “One more 3,” Boston couldn’t make it happen, marking a disappointing start for the Knicks, who debuted high-profile offseason signings Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns.
“I was aware of the record, and when we tied it, I thought we were close,” said Celtics guard Derrick White. “I shouldn’t have said anything; I feel like I jinxed it.”
The Knicks, on the other hand, took responsibility for their disappointing performance, particularly on defense. Coach Tom Thibodeau and players like Towns stressed the need for improvement at that end of the court to compete with Boston effectively.
“We can talk about offense all day, but we need to defend better,” Towns, who had 12 points and 7 rebounds, stated.
The Celtics often caught the Knicks off guard with fast transitions and quick shots. According to Second Spectrum, Boston made 15 3-pointers in half-court settings within the first 12 seconds, a remarkable statistic since player tracking began in 2013-14.
Knicks guard Brunson acknowledged Boston’s strengths. “Jayson knocked down shots early, which put us on our heels all night. They are a good team with a unique style.”
Despite the outcome, players from both teams recognized that this was just the first of 82 games. The Celtics approached the season with a championship mindset, while the Knicks realized the significant improvements they need to make to meet their aspirations.
“It’s just Game 1,” said Thibodeau. “We need to learn from this experience. It’s early in the season, and we must watch the film and understand what we need to work on moving forward.”