Oct 15, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Celtics ahead Jayson Tatum (0) appears to be like on towards the Toronto Raptors through the second half at Scotiabank Area. Obligatory Credit score: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Pictures The Boston Celtics will start their quest for back-to-back NBA championships Tuesday after they tip off the 2024-25 season towards the visiting New York Knicks.
Boston defeated Dallas in 5 video games to assert the 2023-24 championship. The Celtics have not gained consecutive titles since 1967-68 and 1968-69.
“We wish to win a championship each single yr — that is the objective, that is the usual, that is the expectation,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned. “Simply because one thing labored earlier than does not imply it may work once more. That is the problem.”
The Celtics return their high 11 scorers from final yr’s group, which had an NBA-best 64-18 report within the common season after which went 16-3 within the playoffs en path to the franchise’s 18th championship.
The Knicks gained 50 video games within the common season a yr in the past and earned the No. 2 seed within the Jap Convention however got here up brief towards Indiana in Recreation 7 of the convention semifinals. New York hasn’t reached the convention finals since 2000 and hasn’t gained an NBA championship since 1973.
New York made some vital offseason strikes, one in every of which was sending ahead Julius Randle and guard Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota in change for ahead Karl-Anthony Cities. New York additionally acquired Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets.
“We won’t simply be anxious about one group,” Cities mentioned. “We have got to be anxious about the entire Jap Convention. To perform what we wish to do, and what the town is craving for us to do, we should be a group not simply that beats Boston, however finds a option to beat each group within the East.”
Bridges will be a part of Jalen Brunson within the Knicks’ backcourt. Brunson completed fifth in MVP voting final season, when he averaged 28.7 factors per recreation throughout his first All-Star season.
Boston is led by five-time All-Star Jayson Tatum, who averaged 26.9 factors, 8.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 74 video games final season.
New York middle Treasured Achiuwa will not be accessible Tuesday due to a strained left hamstring. The group introduced that he will likely be re-evaluated in two to 4 weeks. Achiuwa was injured throughout Friday’s preseason recreation towards Washington.
New York will even be with out middle Mitchell Robinson, who’s recovering from two ankle surgical procedures he underwent within the final yr. In keeping with ESPN, Robinson will not be accessible till January.
Boston middle Kristaps Porzingis had surgical procedure on his left leg in late June and is anticipated to overlook at the very least the primary two months of the season. The Celtics had been 21-4 with out Porzingis within the lineup final season, when he averaged 20.1 factors in 57 video games. He spent his first three seasons within the NBA with the Knicks.
“Do now we have nice expertise? Sure,” Mazzulla mentioned. “Do now we have nice gamers? Sure. Do now we have an awesome basis? Sure. Is that this ’24-25 group nice but? No, as a result of we have not been in a recreation. It simply takes time and each season is totally different and assuming that you simply’re simply going to … what’d we are saying earlier than? Doing this up to now does not essentially imply that is going to work now.”
–Discipline Stage Media