Stars, Heroes, and Legends of Boston and New York
The 2024/25 NBA season got underway last night, with the defending champion Boston Celtics beating the rival New York Knicks 132-109 at the TD Garden. The Celtics hit a record-tying 29 three-pointers on their way to a blowout win, but there’s good reason to believe the Knicks are still one of the more likely teams to take a run at the champs as the season goes on.
Last year, as a stacked and well-rounded Celtics team rolled to the championship, the Knicks’ spirited run ended one game short of an Eastern Conference Finals against Boston. Knicks star Jalen Brunson epitomized the hard-working spirit of the team but wore down as the playoffs went on. With a postseason usage rate of 36.8%, it was clear that Brunson needed more help, and the Knicks needed to diversify their offensive approach this offseason and close the talent gap between themselves and the champion Celtics. Enter Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, for whom the Knicks gave up significant draft capital, former All-Star Julius Randle, and fan-favorite Donte DiVincenzo.
While the Knicks will look much different, there’s no question that they have decided to pull out all the stops to take on Boston this season. With the season off and running, let’s take a look at some of the players who have defined basketball in Boston and New York.
The Stars
2023/24 Topps Chrome Basketball Helix #H-2 Jayson Tatum SSP
Jayson Tatum, PF, Boston Celtics
versus the knicks
• 23.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.8 APG in 25 games
• 18-8 career record
defining moment
• 37 points, ten assists, and eight threes to begin Boston’s title defense with a dominant win over the Knicks last night
What they said
• “You haven’t seen the best version of Jayson Tatum. And you shouldn’t have, right? I’m only 26, I should continue to get better.” – Jayson Tatum
2023/24 Topps Chrome Basketball Finesse #F-14 Jalen Brunson Refractor /5
Jalen Brunson, PG, New York Knicks
Versus the Celtics
• 18.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 4.6 APG in 16 games
• 8-9 career record
defining moment
• dominant 39-point performance as Knicks beat boston at TD Garden on April 11, 2024
What they said
• “We want to take the next step. We want to be better than we were last year. But I think for us, we can’t get back to where we were. We can’t get back to Game 7 in the second round. We have to start all over again.” – Jalen Brunson
The Heroes
2023/24 Topps Chrome Basketball #146 Paul Pierce Refractor /50
Paul Pierce, SF, Boston Celtics
versus the knicks
• 41-20 career record
• 6-4 playoff record
• 38 points in game three of 2011 playoff series (Boston swept New York 4-0)
defining moment
• Hit game-winning shot with 0.4 seconds left at msg to give Celtics comeback win, celebrated on the Knicks floor as diminutive teammate Nate Robinson flipped over his back
What they said
• “I don’t believe the Knicks will win a championship in my lifetime.” – Paul Pierce
2024 Topps Chrome Olympic #151 Carmelo Anthony Refractor /199
Carmelo Anthony, SF, New York Knicks
versus the Celtics
• 22.3 ppg, 6.5 RPG, 3.1 APG in 43 career games against Boston
• averaged 29.3 ppg in Knicks playoff series win over Boston in 2013 (knicks first series win in 13 years)
defining moment
• 37-point masterpiece in 106-104 Christmas day win over Celtics to open the shortened 2011/12 season
What they said
• “We ain’t worried about nobody else in the East. We’re worrying about Boston, that’s it.” – Carmelo Anthony
The Legends
2023/24 Topps Chrome Basketball Superfly #SF-4 Larry Bird SSP
Larry Bird, F, Boston Celtics
versus the knicks
• 46-14 career regular season record
• 9-7 career playoff record
• 28.0 ppg, 8.9 RPG, 7.9 APG in 16 career playoff games
defining moment
• game 7 39-point triple-double after the Knicks had pushed the Celtics to the brink in the 1984 conference semi-finals
What they said
• “playing in Madison Square Garden And he’s just taking the ball out of bounds in front of the bench. So the whole bench can hear him…And he’d go…`Hubie, this is all you got for me tonight? Like, you have no one else that can guard me? This is getting ridiculous.’ – Former teammate danny ainge on bird playing the knicks
1972/73 Topps Basketball #60 Walt Frazier
Walt Frazier, G, New York Knicks
versus the Celtics
• Defeated Celtics in 1972 and 1973 playoffs
• led the Knicks in scoring in four of 7 games versus the Celtics in the 1973 Eastern Conference finals
defining moment
• 25 points and 10 rebounds in an incredible game 7 win on the road against the top-seeded, 68-14 Celtics
What they said
• “My first game I ever played against the Celtics, I found out the intensity of the rivalry. You could tell. It was like in my first All-Star Game, I found out how much the guys in the East hated the West.” – Walt Frazier
