Reigning NBA Champions Celtics to Host Knicks in 2024-25 Season Opener
The defending NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, are set to tip off the 2024-25 regular season against the New York Knicks at TD Garden in Boston on October 22. The NBA unveiled the highly anticipated schedule on Thursday, marking the Celtics’ first step in defending their title.
The Celtics dominated the previous season, finishing with a league-best 64 wins. Their impressive playoff run included victories over the Miami Heat (4-1), Cleveland Cavaliers (4-1), Indiana Pacers (4-0), and ultimately defeating the Dallas Mavericks (4-1) to secure their 18th championship, the most in franchise history. Jaylen Brown’s stellar performance earned him the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award.
On the other side, the Knicks concluded the regular season with 50 wins, securing second place in the Eastern Conference. They triumphed over the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs but fell to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
In the offseason, the Knicks made significant moves to bolster their roster. Star player Jalen Brunson agreed to a pay cut, signing a four-year, $156.5 million contract extension in July. This strategic decision allowed the team to create sufficient salary cap space to acquire Mikal Bridges and retain key players OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson. With a strengthened lineup, the Knicks are poised to make a deeper run in the upcoming season.
The opening day’s excitement doesn’t end there. The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. LeBron James and Anthony Davis, fresh off their Olympic gold medal victory with Team USA alongside Anthony Edwards in Paris, will now compete against Edwards, who reunites with Rudy Gobert on the Timberwolves.
The Lakers’ previous season saw them eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. The Nuggets were subsequently ousted by the Timberwolves in the Western semifinals, who then fell to the Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals.
Basketball fans worldwide eagerly await the start of the new season, anticipating thrilling matchups and dynamic performances as teams vie for the championship.
