"That's a poppin a** rivalry" - Former NBA champion expects 'animosity' in Celtics vs Knicks season opener
Tuesday night's Celtics vs Knicks game on TNT will begin the 2024-25 NBA season for both teams. While the Celtics' rivalry with the LA Lakers going back to the days of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson is well documented, former NBA champion Paul Pierce believes that the Celtics rivalry with the New York Knicks is poised to deliver fireworks.
With the Celtics fresh off a championship-winning season and the Knicks eager to make a deep postseason run with recently acquired big man Karl-Anthony Towns, anticipation is at an all-time high for both teams. Given the animosity between the New York and Boston, Pierce is expecting fireworks from the Celtics vs. Knicks game.
As he said on the latest episode of "Truth and the Ticket" ahead of tonight's Celtics vs. Knicks season opener:
"There's gonna be some animosity toward this one. This is a rivalry, dude. We talk about Boston and Miami so much, and we talk about Lakers and Boston, but the Knicks and Boston is one of the biggest rivalries in basketball, too.
"We just waiting for the Knicks to be relevant again, and they finally are. Because when the Knicks are relevant and the Celtics are relevant, that's a popping-ass rivalry, dog. It's animosity in them games, bro."
After winning championship No. 18 for the franchise, the Celtics want to keep the momentum rolling and break the league's back-to-back curse. In the case of the Knicks, after battling through adversity last year in the form of injuries, the team is eager to build momentum.
The way many fans, including Spike Lee, see things, the Knicks are in a window right now that could see them contend for a title.
Paul Pierce opens up on his experience playing in Boston against New York ahead of Celtics vs. Knicks season opener
Paul Pierce said that there was a certain energy surrounding games between the two teams back in his time with the Celtics.
Whether the two teams were competing in TD Garden or Madison Square Garden, he knows firsthand how badly the two teams want to get wins against one another in Celtics versus Knicks games.
At the time, Pierce was playing for the Celtics, the Knicks were fresh off a blockbuster trade for Carmelo Anthony, which came around the same time as New York's acquisition of Amar'e Stoudemire. The combination of the Knicks' offseason moves and the success of the Celtics' big three breathed new life into the rivalry, he said:
"I couldn't wait to go to Madison Square Garden. They couldn't wait to come to Boston Garden. Like, that's a real man. They just traded for Carmelo. We was like, 'Hold on, let's see what's happening.'
"Then, y'all had Amar'e bringing back the energy. We was like, 'Hold on. Let's put these. Let's put y'all back in y'all place. Hold on.' I feel the energy is back now, but we still the big dogs. But that's a thing."
With both Eastern Conference teams eager to make their presence felt this season, only time will tell how Tuesday night's Celtics vs. Knicks game plays out.