The New York Knicks are officially in an 0-2 hole, dropping their second straight game of the season Friday night at TD Garden to the Boston Celtics. For the defending NBA champions, this is a seriously rough start to their title defense. They just can’t seem to find their rhythm early, and Boston made them pay.
Tatum Ignites, Celtics Bring the Heat
The Celtics came out swinging, playing an “especially physical” game, according to Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. Boston matched, maybe even “exceeded” New York’s physicality, as Karl-Anthony Towns pointed out. This wasn’t some soft matchup; it was a battle. A huge part of the Celtics’ win was Jayson Tatum, who absolutely bounced back after an inefficient opener against the Detroit Pistons. Brunson couldn’t help but “tip his hat” to Tatum, highlighting three “big time shots” he made late in the game: a corner shot, a post-up in front of the Knicks bench, and a tough one off a pick-and-roll even with Towns defending right there. Tatum’s return to form played a massive role in securing that win for Boston. They now sit at a .500 record, 1-1 to start their season.
Knicks Need to Find a Way, FAST
This 0-2 start has to sting for the Knicks. Brunson acknowledged that the Celtics “played great on both sides of the ball,” but also made it clear that “there’s a lot of things that we can do better as a team as well.” Towns, understandably “irked by the loss,” echoed that sentiment. He said they “did a lot of good things today,” but the bottom line is they lost. “We’ve got to do a better job all around,” Towns stated. “We’ve got to be able to go out there and find a way.” When you’re the reigning champs, starting 0-2 isn’t just disappointing, it’s a wake-up call.
The Knicks absolutely have to pull it together. Being 0-2, especially as the defending champions, means every game from here on out has a spotlight on it. They need to find that way to “be better next time” if they want to avoid digging themselves into an even deeper hole early in this title defense.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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