Three Early Knicks Games Name Must-See Matchups

The New York Knicks should capture the NBA's attention early in the season.

May 19, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) handles the ball against New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the third quarter of game seven of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks have 82 games on the schedule for the upcoming season, but three games before Christmas stand out above the rest.

NBA.com writer Steve Aschburner identified three Knicks games that are "must-see matchups" before Christmas, starting with a game in the opening week at home against Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers.

"The second game for both teams is a time machine taking them back five months to Indiana’s seven-game triumph in the East semifinals," Aschburner writes. "The last time the Pacers visited Madison Square Garden, Tyrese Haliburton scored 26 while a battered Jalen Brunson shot 6-of-17 in Indiana’s dominant 130-109 Game 7 victory."

The Knicks will also get another playoff rematch against the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 12 at the Wells Fargo Center, which is also part of the team's NBA Cup slate.

"With all due respect to the Bucks, Cavaliers, Magic, Pacers and Heat, New York and Philadelphia are unabashed in their aspirations to topple the Celtics in nine months or so," Aschburner writes. "George for the Sixers, Mikal Bridges for the Knicks and other assorted changes freshen up the rematch of April’s first-round clash won by New York in six."

To close out the trio of games, a rivalry match between the Knicks and Toronto Raptors will take place, just one week shy of the one-year anniversary of the OG Anunoby blockbuster trade.

"These teams are linked by the five-player trade they made Dec. 30 that delivered OG Anunoby to New York, a key piece in the Knicks’ push to the second round," Aschburner writes. "They went 33-17 after the deal while Toronto slipped off the face of the continent by going 13-37. But R.J. Barrett averaged 21.8 points on 55.3% shooting for the Raptors, while Immanuel Quickley turned added minutes into a scoring boost from 12.9 to 18.6. This is their second visit back to MSG."

Every game on the Knicks schedule will be important, especially if things are similar to how they were last year. All 82 games made a difference in the final standings that helped the Knicks land the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. This season should be the same, but the three games above should certainly be circled on New York's calendar.

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