Celtics 107, Knicks 103

 

I grew up on Long Island, in the vast suburban sprawl of New York City. Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs, with their towering buildings, teeming streets. and diverse populations, were my first impression of what a big city was like - thrilling, overwhelming, and with limitless potential. To this day, I love that city, with its world-class museums, music scene, jazz clubs, theater, and other arts. But I loathe their sports teams.

So, consider my affection for the City of New York when I say, fuck New York. Fuck the Yankees and fuck the Giants. Fuck the Jets and the Nets and the Mets and their lack of originality in team names. Fuck the Rangers and the Islanders. And mostly, not in spite of the fact that they're the reigning NBA champions but because they're the reigning NBA champions, fuck the Knicks.  

Really, fuck those guys and fuck their toxic fans. I'll never forget nor forgive them for May 12, 2025, when Jayson Tatum suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in New York and the Knicks fans cheered and jeered and laughed as he writhed in pain and was potentially facing the end of his basketball career. Fucking classless animals. 

So, imagine the satisfaction I feel when their team starts the 2026-27 season as NBA champions with two consecutive losses, the first NBA champ to start 0-2 the following season in 15 years. I'm laughing and pointing at them just like they did when Tatum was on the floor of your filthy, so-called "Garden." You reading this, Spike, and Stiller, and Stewart? I'm laughing at fucking you.

Last night, a rehabed Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics delivered the second of the two consecutive losses to the Knicks. Tatum returned to form after his listless performance in the first game of the season, a 121-113 loss to the Pistons, by dropping 36 on the Knicks, leading all scorers. His three-point shooting, 3-10, can still use some improvement, but he also had nine rebounds and seven assists. New guy Paul George contributed 15 points, and Neemias Queta kicked in another 15 from the bench. Derrick White was in double-digits, too, with a dozen points.

The Knicks led by a point after the first quarter, but Paul George gave the Celtics a one-point lead with a three-point buzzer-beater from 24 feet out as the end of the half. In the third quarter, the Celtics outscored the Knicks, 33-24, and led by as many as 12 points in the fourth. The Knicks tried their comeback and got to within one point with less than two remaining - no one said this was an easy win - but the Celtics held on and won the game by four.

Bonus entertainment points for watching Jalen Brunson miss two free throws and OG Anunoby miss a 28-foot shot in the closing seconds. LOL, losers.

So the Celtics are now 1-1 on this youngest of seasons and the Knicks are 0-2 and all alone in dead last place in the Atlantic Division. I'm sure the New York press will handle that well and with adult maturity (Update: the headline on the sports page of today's New York Post starts "Dumb motherf–ker"). The Sixers and the Raptors are tied for first at 2-0.

Boston hosts the Chicago Bulls (1-1) Monday night (7:30 pm).