Boston plays all four games this week at home, starting with the Knicks tonight and closing with a Bulls game that counts in the Emirates NBA Cup. The 0-1 start leaves the Celtics one game behind sixth, which after a single game measures very little.
The Knicks are the opponent that matters, and the paper edge is thin.
New York also arrives 0-1. The Knicks have had two days of rest, played once in the previous seven days, and this is their first road game. Boston has the same two days off after playing twice in the past week. Last season the Knicks went 53-29 with a 6.4 net rating, and Boston went 56-26 at 8.3. Those numbers came from rosters that have since changed. Boston's best lineups last season ran through Jaylen Brown, who now plays in Philadelphia, so the old margin carries little weight tonight.
New York's size tests the weakness Detroit exposed.
Karl-Anthony Towns averaged 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds last season, and Josh Hart added 7.4 boards from the wing. CelticsBlog's Nirav Barman wrote that poor rebounding sank Boston against the Pistons. Mitchell Robinson, who pulled down 8.8 rebounds a game last season, faces the Knicks for the first time, a matchup MassLive previewed. Jalen Brunson and his 26.0 points a game are the other problem. The Knicks also played faster last season, 97.7 to Boston's 95.6, so how many possessions Boston allows is part of the test.
The second half of the week is Chicago twice around a back-to-back.
After the opener Boston gets two days off, then hosts the Bulls and the Nets on consecutive nights, October 26 and 27. Chicago returns on October 30 for an Emirates NBA Cup game, so Boston sees the same opponent twice in five days. Every game this week is at home. The next road game is at Orlando on November 1.
Carter stays out, and the rest of the rotation is cleared.
Devin Carter is still sidelined by illness and is listed to return November 8, so he misses the whole week. Hoopsrumors reported that Boston is converting him to a two-way contract. Every other player listed day-to-day during the preseason was cleared on October 17, including Tatum, George, White and Pritchard. George's 38-point debut was the best news from Detroit, though it is not a figure to count on every night.
When do the Celtics play the Knicks?
Boston hosts New York on October 23, and Prime Video has the broadcast. Both teams are 0-1.
Do the Celtics have a back-to-back this week?
Yes. Boston hosts the Bulls on October 26 and the Nets on October 27, then faces the Bulls again on October 30 in an Emirates NBA Cup game.
