The rivalry between the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks has taken a turn for the worst. Boston has officially gone 4-0 against New York in the 2024-25 regular season, thus completing the first four-game series sweep in the rivalry since 2010-11.
Fortunately for the Knicks, the final of four losses against the Celtics revealed an intriguing development that could reshape the rivalry at the 25th hour.
Boston dominated New York in the first three games, winning each by a margin of at least 13 points. It erupted for a 132-109 victory in the first encounter, extended the pain with a 131-104 win the second time around, and prevailed 118-105 in the third meeting.
The most recent game between the Knicks and Celtics was easily the most competitive, with the reigning NBA champions holding on to win 119-117 in overtime.
Moral victories only count for so much, but there's something to be said about progress. The Knicks have decreased their margin of defeat from 27 points to 13 to two, with the final loss even going to overtime.
Thankfully for those who aren't happy to celebrate losses, there's a compelling reason to believe the results could change in the playoffs: Karl-Anthony Towns has finally found his form against Boston.
Did Karl-Anthony Towns finally crack the Celtics' code?
The first two games between Boston and New York were an unmitigated disaster for Towns and the Knicks. Not only did they lose by a combined 50 points during those two blowouts, but the Knicks' All-NBA center never seemed to find his footing.
Towns struggled to even get shots up, attempting 17 total field goals and combining for just 21 points and 16 rebounds between those two games.
The last two clashes between the Knicks and Celtics, however, have told a different story. Towns dominated the glass in the third of four encounters, finishing with 24 points, 18 rebounds, and five offensive boards on 9-of-20 shooting.
A 118-105 loss stings all the same, but Towns seemed to crack the Celtics' code at times during the defeat—and his latest showing seems to imply he's no longer reluctant to attack.
During the most recent entry into the rivalry, Towns bullied the Celtics down low. He posted 34 points and 14 rebounds on 14-of-21 shooting, scoring 24 points in the paint alone despite Kristaps Porzingis playing 39 minutes.
Porzingis scored 34 points of his own, but Towns has gone from producing 21 points and 16 rebounds between the first two games to tallying 58 points and 32 boards in the following two.
That's a remarkably promising development that seems to imply the Knicks have more reasons for optimism against the Celtics than one might presume. It doesn't change the fact that Boston swept the regular-season series, but Towns now seems to know how to exploit the defending champions' weaknesses—meaning a new opportunity has presented itself for New York to win a potential playoff series.
Silver linings are often disregarded as desperate grasps for hope, but the Knicks have every reason to believe the playoffs will be different than the regular season against the Celtics.