Minutes after receiving their championship ring and hanging the 18th banner from the ceiling of TD Garden, the Celtics celebrated their title by starting the first game of the season the way they finished the last: defense, 3-pointers and rebound control! Behind Jayson Tatum's 4/6 3-pointers and his 15 points, Boston jumped at the throat of the Knicks to take a 19-point lead after one quarter (43-24)!
In the wake of the duo Jalen Brunson (22 points) – Karl-Anthony Towns (12 points, 7 rebounds), and thanks to the contribution of Miles McBride (22 points) coming off the bench, the Knicks manage to limit the damage. They are even on par with Boston in the second quarter, while the Celtics (17/32!) continue their long-distance skill festival in this first half (74-55).
Mikal Bridges (12 points), until then silent, has adjusted the sights, the Knicks can do nothing in the face of the green wave that is falling on them. Derrick White, Jrue Holiday (18 points), Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown made 9/11 3-pointers in the third quarter to increase the gap to +30 (111-81)!
The end of the game turned into a 3-point shooting contest for the Celtics. They tied the NBA record in a game with 29 award-winning shots scored with nine minutes to play, before missing their last thirteen attempts and failing to establish a brand new record by reaching the symbolic bar of 30 units.
WHAT TO REMEMBER
– The 18th banner is on the ceiling of TD Garden. In a sober ceremony, which paid tribute to the glorious past of the Celtics with the presence of Bob Cousy, Cedric Maxwell, and the trio Kevin Garnett – Paul Pierce – Ray Allen, Joe Mazzulla’s men received their championship ring one by one . A visibly moved Jayson Tatum took the microphone to thank fans before team owners raised the 18th banner in franchise history from the ceiling of TD Garden. With this 18th title, the Celtics are once again the only holders of the most NBA titles in history, just ahead of the Lakers (17).
– Jayson Tatum sets the tone for record Celtics. With 25 of his 37 points in the first half, including 6 of 9 at 3-points, Jayson Tatum put the Celtics in orbit from the first minutes of the match. His intensity and skill served as a barometer for his teammates who all got in tune. Boston had 17 3-pointers scored at halftime, a franchise record, and 29 at the end of the match (at 48% success), equaling the NBA record for a match!
– Knicks in search of their identity. The contrast between the Celtics confident in their basketball and the Knicks in search of their identity could not be more obvious. With all the changes that occurred during the offseason on the New York side, however, it is unfair to compare them to the defending champion. In addition to the final result, this match revealed all the work ahead of the Knicks. The best team in offensive rebounding last season, they had only one take at the break, and four after three quarters. The offensive cohabitation between Jalen Brunson and newcomers Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges was limited, and only Miles McBride, as expected before the season, was able to shine off the bench. It's only the first game of the season, and it's against the Celtics, so there's nothing alarming, but the Knicks have their work cut out for them.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
