Knicks Building to Beat Celtics

The New York Knicks now have the tools to challenge the Boston Celtics.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 21, 2024

Apr 11, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) and Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) battle for a loose ball during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports / Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks finished second in the Eastern Conference this past season, but the Boston Celtics were far and away in first as they waltzed to an NBA championship.

Many believe the Celtics could have been challenged by the Knicks had the teams met in the Eastern Conference Finals, but New York caught the injury bug and couldn't get past the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the second round of the playoffs.

This offseason, the Knicks have tried to upgrade, acquiring Mikal Bridges via trade with the Brooklyn Nets and signing OG Anunoby to a long-term extension. Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley believes that Bridges and Anunoby could be the key to beating the Celtics down the line.

"While they couldn't find the funds to bring back Isaiah Hartenstein, they seemingly made a calculated wager that two-way wings trumped interior insurance," Buckley writes. "Boston's championship run may have guided that bet. The East runs through the Celtics—more specifically, through star wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown—for the foreseeable future. Bridges and Anunoby are two of the best options to throw at the Jays, so even if fans don't love the costs of building this wing tandem, they should at least recognize the thought process behind the moves."

While the Celtics haven't become a dynasty yet, they certainly have the blueprint with Tatum and Brown running the ship, and no team could find a way to come even close to beating them during the postseason. Granted, every opponent the Celtics faced dealt with some massive injuries to key players, but Boston also did, losing Kristaps Porzingis to a lower leg injury in the first round against the Miami Heat.

The Celtics are coming into the 2024-25 campaign as the team to beat, but the Knicks are making their case to be part of the conversation. They are certainly closer to challenging the Celtics with Bridges and Anunoby on board.

Make sure you bookmark All Knicks for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Jul 21, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.