#144

New York Knicks (0-0)

vs

Boston Celtics (0-0)

Exciting matchup between long time rivals; the Knicks and the Celtics. The teams finished 4th and 7th respectively last year, which was surprising considering that no one gave the Knicks a chance. Julius Randle and the hearty group of Knicks played tough last year. Over the off season, they resigned Derrick Rose and added certified scorers like Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier. They lost key defenders like Reggie Bullock and Elfrid Payton, but they allowed the fewest ppg last year. Their issue was scoring and now that they added great offensive talent, I think the Knicks will be dangerous this season. The Celtics also improved their squad. Yes they lost Fournier and Kemba to the Knicks, but they did not work well with Tatum and Jaylen Brown who need the ball in their hands to be effective, just as Walker and Fournier do. They added Josh Richardson and Dennis Schroeder who are great 2-way players, and I actually think they match up very well with the Knicks. This game will be very exciting to watch and may come down to the last shot. I think Derrick Rose will be a key factor tonight for the Knicks. He is looking to prove the Knicks right in re-signing him, so I expect him to shoot the ball well tonight. Given that the Knicks are defensive-focused team, and because there are so many new faces for both sides, I expect this to be a low scoring game as both squads try to figure things out. Take the under 217.5 total points and Derrick Rose over 12.5 points.