Knicks to Open Season Against Celtics

The New York Knicks will open a highly-anticipated season against one of their fiercest ... and most dangerous ... rivals.

Apr 11, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) tries to steal the ball from New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports / Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks against the Boston Celtics on opening night of the 2024-25 season? It has a bit of ring to it.

Per Celtic fan page Green Runs Deep, New York and Boston are set to do battle on TD Garden on Oct. 22 at TD Garden. It stands to reason that the rumored showdown would be the opening game of the season for each side, as the Knicks' last preseason game is scheduled for Oct. 18.

GRD implies that it will at least be the Celtics' home opener, as Boston would receive their championship rings from the 2024 NBA Finals that night.

[[UPDATE: 12:25 p.m. ET]]: Shams Charania of The Athletic has confirmed that the Knicks and Celtics will face off on opening night, Oct. 22. It will be a part of a doubleheader broadcast on TNT, with a Western Conference showdown between the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves to follow.

The Knicks and Celtics will face each other on opening night for the third time in the last four seasons. A 2024 meeting would serve as a rubber match: New York took a 138-134 double-overtime decision at the onset of the 2021-22 campaign while Boston began its run to the Finals with a 108-104 win last fall.

The lasting Atlantic Division rivals finished in the top two spots on last season's Eastern Conference leaderboard. Boston went 4-1 in five meetings against the Knicks last season, with an extra get-together created by the way the consolation portions of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament shook out.

The lone Knicks victory was a firm 118-109 final on Apr. 11 at TD Garden, one that saw New York lead by as much as 31 before a futile Boston comeback in the fourth. While the Celtics had the top seed in the East wrapped at the time, their starters played a full slate. That matchup was also the only one to feature the serices of in-season acquisition OG Anunoby, who had 12 points and played sterling defense in the decisive triumph.

New York and Boston are widely expected to reprise their roles as the Eastern leaders this time around ... with some perhaps expecting a flip of fortunes at the top.

Whereas the Celtics are mostly running it back with the team that guided the franchise to its NBA-record 18th championship (led by lasting tandem Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum), the Knicks added yet another Villanova star in the offseason when they traded for former Brooklyn Net Mikal Bridges. The Knicks also re-upped with Anunoby, franchise face (and newly-minted captain) Jalen Brunson, and head coach Tom Thibodeau.

The full 2024-25 NBA schedule will officially be released on a date to be determined.

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