BOSTON — The NBA season kicked off on Tuesday night with the Boston Celtics facing off against the New York Knicks, a matchup that Knicks guard Jalen Brunson called a good indicator of where his team stands against the defending champions. However, the game was more about the Celtics’ impressive performance than any competitive tension.
At TD Garden, the Celtics celebrated their historic 18th championship banner before securing a commanding 132-109 victory over the Knicks. The only drama came from Boston’s attempt to break the NBA record for most 3-pointers made in a single game. After Al Horford’s third consecutive 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter, the Celtics tied the record with 29 made shots but then missed 13 attempts in a row, including three air balls.
“It was almost like we got jinxed or something,” Celtics forward Jaylen Brown remarked. “When we were just playing our style of basketball, everything was going in. Then, once the crowd got into it and we started hunting for shots, we couldn’t hit anything.”
Despite the late-game struggles, the Celtics had a stellar overall performance, hitting 29 of 48 from beyond the arc and finishing with 33 assists to just three turnovers. Jayson Tatum dazzled with 37 points on 14-of-18 shooting, including 8-of-11 from three.
As the Celtics cooled off in the game’s final stretch, the Knicks failed to capitalize on their misfires. The crowd urged Boston on with chants of “One more 3,” but the Celtics fell short of breaking the record. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau and players like Karl-Anthony Towns, who tallied 12 points and 7 rebounds, acknowledged their defensive shortcomings.
“We can talk about offense all you want, but we have to play defense,” Towns stated. The Knicks struggled with Boston’s fast break and quick ball movement, leading to an alarming number of open looks, especially early in the shot clock.
Brunson, who led New York with 22 points, commented on the Celtics’ effective play. “We were in rotation. They had us on our heels all night.”
Nonetheless, both teams recognized the significance of the game’s outcome in the broader context of the season, understanding it was just one of 82 games. Thibodeau emphasized the need for improvement, stating, “It’s early, and you got to learn from it. We’ll watch film, learn from this test, and work on developing our habits moving forward.”