The Boston Celtics made the perfect start to the 2024-25 NBA season with an emphatic 132-109 victory over the New York Knicks.
The Knicks had been hyped up as the biggest threat to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference but the defending champions showed that there is still a gap between them.
Plus, Joe Mazzulla’s team were without 2018 All-Star big man Kristaps Porzingis, who is not expected to return until December.
Kendrick Perkins explained what impressed him most about the Celtics’ performance, which he had ‘never seen’ before.
Perkins had a 15-year NBA career in which he won the championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008.
He is now an NBA expert for ESPN and gave his verdict on the Celtics’ victory over the Knicks on Wednesday morning.
The 39-year-old explained that there was something particularly impressive about the mentality of his former team.
“You know who cares [about the Celtics’ win], the rest of the league,” he said on First Take. “That’s who cares.
“What the Celtics did last night was send a message, and it was a statement win, to show that they are not satisfied.
“My biggest concern for the Boston Celtics coming into this season was that – last year they were starving for a championship – I was wondering whether the hunger was still going to be there.
“And they answered my question last night, in one game. I’ve never seen champions that have come into the season like the Boston Celtics – with something to prove. They feel like they have something to prove.
“And that damn Jayson Tatum, I love a pissed-off Jayson Tatum. He’s playing with a certain type of tenacity.”
The Celtics are the rightful favourites to win the 2025 NBA title at this moment. There has been nothing to suggest that they won’t be as good as last season.
Besides an injury crisis, they will only be beaten if one of the other contenders significantly improves their play.
One of those teams could be the Knicks – who added Karl-Anthony Towns – or the Philadelphia 76ers – who added Paul George – once they gel.
Alternatively, in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder – with Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein – and the Dallas Mavericks – with Klay Thompson – might have done enough in the offseason to get over the line.
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