NBA best bets: Knicks at Celtics on Opening Night
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In times like this, I often turn to Lizzo to express my feelings.
The NBA is officially back! And the Association kicks off its 2024-25 season on Tuesday night.
Opening Night begins with the defending champion Boston Celtics against the New York Knicks at TD Garden.
The pick — Knicks +5.5 at Celtics (-108, DraftKings)
It’s banner-raising night for the Celtics, and while the crowd will be energized and the players will be celebrating, New York can steal this game to start the season.
The Knicks were one of the big offseason movers, acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges in two key trades. Suffice it to say, they have upgraded.
With Bridges, New York fortified its defense that already featured OG Anunoby and Josh Hart. And with Towns, it now possesses length and versatility on the court.
The Knicks will be a challenge for Boston, which will be without Kristaps Porziņģis and will likely rely on 38-year-old Al Horford down low. That’s not exactly a winning recipe against a younger, sleeker New York squad.
The new-look Knicks will overwhelm a celebratory Celtics team. New York’s defensive size will force Boston into some bad shots, and it will have a smoother offensive game behind the leadership of Jalen Brunson.
The Knicks are very much live to win Tuesday, so let’s take the 5.5 points while we can.
The pick — Karl-Anthony Towns OVER 21.5 points (-108, BetRivers)
It’ll be exciting to see how coach Tom Thibodeau uses Towns’ size and shooting ability in his offense. The former Timberwolves star no longer has to worry about spacing with Rudy Gobert.
Towns has had success against the Celtics in his career, averaging 22.3 points and recording 10 double-doubles in 13 games. He’ll work well with Brunson in the pick-and-roll, which they ran plenty of times in the preseason.
In his last game against Boston, KAT scored 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a game without Porziņģis. I expect to see something similar Tuesday night.
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