Knicks vs Celtics Free Pick, NBA Free Picks, NBA Predictions 10/22/24
- J.A. Cavalier
- Oct 22, 2024
- 3 min read
NEW YORK @ BOSTON (BOS -5.5, 223)
CFB ODDS, CFB PREDICTIONS, CFB PREVIEWS
KNICKS @ CELTICS 10/22/24
The Boston Celtics will take on the visiting New York Knicks in their opening game of the 2024–25 season on Tuesday, starting their quest for back-to-back NBA titles. In five games, Boston beat Dallas to win the 2023–24 championship. The last time the Celtics won two straight championships was in 1967–68 and 1968–69.
The goal is to win the title once again, according to Celtics head coach Joe Mazzula. Boston finished last season with an NBA-best 64-18 record and went on to win the franchise's 18th championship. The Celtics return their top 11 scorers from last year.
The Knicks lost to Indiana in Game 7 of the conference semifinals despite winning 50 games during the regular season and securing the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. New York has failed to make it to the conference finals since 2000 and they haven’t won an NBA title since 1973.
Among the notable offseason transactions made by New York was the trade for forward Karl-Anthony Towns that sent guard Donte DiVincenzo and forward Julius Randle to Minnesota. Mikal Bridges was also acquired by New York from the Brooklyn Nets. Bridges will be in the Knicks' backcourt alongside Jalen Brunson. In his first All-Star season, Brunson averaged 28.7 points per game and finished fifth in the MVP voting.
Leading Boston is five-time All-Star Jayson Tatum, who in 74 games last season averaged 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. After undergoing surgery on his left leg in late June, Boston center Kristaps Porzingis is anticipated to miss the first two months of the season. After Porzingis, who averaged 20.1 points per game in 57 games last season, was sidelined, the Celtics finished 21-4 without him. The Knicks were his NBA team for his first three seasons.
Precious Achiuwa, a center from New York, will be sidelined on Tuesday due to a strained left hamstring. He will undergo another evaluation in two to four weeks, the team announced. During Friday's preseason matchup with Washington, Achiuwa sustained the injury.
Center Mitchell Robinson, who has had two ankle surgeries in the past year, will also be out for New York. ESPN reports that Robinson might not be ready until January.
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COACH RICK FREE PICK:
FREE PICK: DERRICK WHITE 15+ POINTS
If there is one guy that holds the Celtics together, it’s White. While Tatum and Brown get all the press, White is one of the big reasons why Boston won last year’s title. In 5 games against the Knicks last year, White averaged 31 minutes a game. He averaged 12 points in those 5 games. In one game, he did go off for 30 and tonight with Porzingis out, White is going to have to pick up some slack. He averaged 15.2 points per game last year and he cleared this number in 4 of his last 6 games last season.
