Knicks Star Makes Ludicrous Demand After Opening Night Loss to Celtics

Bobby Krivitsky | Oct 23, 2024

Oct 22, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) shoots for three points against the New York Knicks in the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Tuesday night, the 2024-25 NBA season got underway with a rivalry clash at TD Garden.

It's a matchup that represents a potential Eastern Conference Finals preview. One wouldn't know that based on how opening night went.

After receiving their championship rings and raising Banner 18 to the rafters, a moment that post-game, the Celtics conveyed the influx of thoughts and emotions running through them as they experienced "something I've been dreaming about for a very, very long time," Boston wiped the floor with the Knicks.

The hosts jumped out to a 43-24 lead entering the second quarter and never looked back.

Their dominant two-way display included Jayson Tatum becoming the sixth player in the play-by-play era (1996-97) with at least 25 points, six threes, and six assists before halftime.

The five-time All-Star finished with 37 points and ten assists, pacing all participants in both categories. Tatum also grabbed four rebounds, one steal, and a block. He made 14/18 shots (77.8 percent), including 8/11 threes (72.7 percent).

JT IS COOKING 🔥🔥🔥

Up to 4 threes in the 1st quarter! pic.twitter.com/A1C5gqca0z

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) October 23, 2024

Tatum is the first player in franchise history to register at least 36 points and ten assists while shooting 75 percent from the field, per NBC Sports Boston's stats guru, Dick Lipe.

That feeling of having the hot hand was one shared by his teammates. The Celtics tied an NBA single-game record set by the Bucks in 2020, knocking down 29 threes en route to a 132-109 win.

Count 'em up pic.twitter.com/R3x6a4M3xp

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 23, 2024

While they missed 13 consecutive threes in the final frame, bricking one clean look at sole possession of NBA history after another, that didn't stop Knicks forward Josh Hart from jokingly demanding that they be drug tested.

Josh Hart on the Celtics' hot shooting:

"The NBA needs to drug test all of them, I'll tell you that right now. I ain't ever seen nothing like that before" 😭 pic.twitter.com/urNChH3Rpu

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) October 23, 2024

"The NBA needs to drug test all of them -- I'll tell you that right now," said Hart after the loss. "I ain't ever seen nothing like that before."

Boston's nearly unprecedented three-point barrage helped the hosts earn their largest margin of victory on opening night since a 98-75 win against the Heat in 2003.