In a thrilling start to the 2024-2025 NBA season, Jayson Tatum set the tone for the Boston Celtics moments after receiving his championship ring at TD Garden. With a confident message to the crowd, “Let’s do it again,” Tatum then led the Celtics to a commanding 132-109 victory over the New York Knicks, showcasing why Boston remains the team to beat.
Tatum delivered an electrifying performance, dropping 37 points, dishing out ten assists, grabbing four rebounds, and hitting eight remarkable 3-pointers. His efforts helped the Celtics build a 74-55 halftime lead, and they never looked back.
From the jump, the Celtics were scorching from beyond the arc, hitting ten triples in the first quarter alone. Tatum scored 15 points in the opening frame, and each of Boston’s starters contributed to the long-range barrage. Derrick White chipped in 24 points on 6-of-10 shooting from deep, Jaylen Brown added 23 points with five 3-pointers, while Jrue Holiday and Al Horford contributed 18 and 11 points, respectively.
The Knicks’ new stars, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges combined for 28 points in their debut, with Towns pulling down seven rebounds. Jalen Brunson led New York with 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting, but Boston’s firepower was simply too much to handle.
The Celtics went 17-of-32 (53.1%) from deep in the first half and finished the night 29-of-61 (47.5%) from beyond the arc. Despite missing their last 13 attempts in pursuit of a record-breaking night, their shooting performance punctuated a memorable championship celebration.
Reflecting on the win, Tatum said, “Tonight was special. Everything I wanted and more.” The Celtics look primed to defend their title with confidence and precision.
Source link
