The New York Knicks and Boston Celtics will face off in their second game of the season on Friday, October 24, inside Madison Square Garden. This marks their first meeting since the second round of last year’s playoffs, when New York advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 seasons.
The Celtics notoriously blew back-to-back 20-point leads in that series, shocking the NBA world. This time around, Boston will be without several key faces from that matchup, having traded Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, while Jayson Tatum continues to rehab a torn Achilles.
With Boston shifting direction heading into the 2025–2026 season, the two teams enter with very different aspirations. For the Celtics, it’s about building chemistry and awaiting their star forward’s return. For the Knicks, it’s about reclaiming control of the Eastern Conference — and perhaps punching a ticket to the NBA Finals.
Injury Updates: Knicks vs. Celtics
The New York Knicks have ruled Mitchell Robinson out, while listing both Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart as questionable ahead of Friday’s game. Robinson remains sidelined with an ankle injury that first surfaced last season and lingered through the preseason. His return timetable is currently unclear.
Hart’s questionable status provides a glimmer of hope for Knicks fans. He hasn’t played since the first preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Abu Dhabi on October 2, when he left with a lower back injury and has since dealt with lumbar spasms. Towns, meanwhile, played through the team’s season opener despite a Grade 2 right quad strain, finishing with 19 points and 11 rebounds in 31 minutes.
The Celtics will be without Luka Garza, who entered concussion protocol following Wednesday night’s matchup against Philadelphia. Xavier Tillman and Chris Boucher are expected to share the backup big-man duties.
Key Storylines to Watch
Mike Brown’s Expanded Rotation:
Head coach Mike Brown impressed Knicks fans by using 11 players in the first half of Wednesday’s opener — a drastic change from former coach Tom Thibodeau’s famously tight rotations. New York’s bench contributed 35 points, highlighted by strong performances from Miles “Deuce” McBride and Landry Shamet. Brown could stick with the same group or potentially give minutes to second-year forward Pacome Dadiet.
Jaylen Brown Returns to MSG:
Jaylen Brown reflected on last season’s playoff collapse in Netflix’s Starting 5 documentary, admitting, “We gotta listen to insufferable Knicks fans.” The documentary chronicled his emotional response to blowing two 20-point leads in back-to-back games to open the series. For the first time since that Game 6 elimination, Brown and the Celtics will return to Madison Square Garden — and once again face those “insufferable” Knicks fans.
Jalen Brunson Finding His Rhythm:
Despite a rough shooting night in the season opener, Jalen Brunson led the Knicks’ 119–111 win with 23 points, five assists, and four rebounds. He shot just 5-of-18 from the field and 1-of-9 from three but made up for it at the line, going 12-of-13. Adjusting to a new offensive scheme designed to increase ball movement and reduce isolation sets, Brunson will look to find his rhythm within a more balanced, team-oriented system.
The Knicks and Celtics will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBA on Prime, live from Madison Square Garden. Can the Knicks stay undefeated, or will the Celtics get their revenge on their Eastern Conference rival?
