Celtics To Open 2024–25 Season Against Knicks

The Boston Celtics know who their first opponent will be to kick off the 2024-25 season.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Celtics will host the New York Knicks on Oct. 22. Additionally, the Celtics will raise Banner No. 18 and receive their rings.

The Knicks finished second in the Eastern Conference last season behind the Celtics. They traded for Mikal Bridges during the offseason to increase their chances of competing with Boston.

Charania also reported that both of the Celtics' matchups against the Dallas Mavericks, the team they won Banner No. 18 against, will take place in the new year on Jan. 25 in Dallas and Feb. 6 at home.

Injury Update for Celtics Starter

The page has been flipped to the 2024-25 season and the Boston Celtics are doing everything they can to put themselves in a position to go back-to-back.

One question surrounding the Celtics this offseason has been the status of center Kristaps Porzingis who missed a good chunk of the Playoffs due to a leg injury.

It was confirmed earlier in the offseason that Porzingis needed surgery and would miss the beginning of the season.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens gave an update on Porzingis to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe . A Hardwood Houdini article written by Jack Simone included what Stevens said about the big man.

“He’s in Latvia. He’s starting to do more and more and more,” Stevens said. “He was in a boot for a while there, but every indication is he’s progressing well and he’s on the right timeline. But it’s going to be a while.”

Porzingis had an impactful season in his first year with Boston. He played in 57 games and started all of them and averaged 29.6 minutes.

Porzingis was third on the team in points per game, averaging 20.1. Additionally, he averaged 7.2 rebounds, two assists and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 51.6% from the field and 37.5% from 3-point range.

Porzingis appeared in seven of Boston's 19 Playoff games and started four of them. Al Horford provided the team with a good backup option at center when Porzingis went down and he will likely have a similar role to start the season.