A new Knicks season began with a late loss to their oldest foe

If December 7, 1941 is “a date which will live in infamy,” December 7, 1946 is the day the hare took the lead on the tortoise. Or vice versa.

That was the day the New York Knicks first faced the Boston Celtics, both charter members of the Basketball Association of America. They are the only two teams still in action today in the same city under the same name. No more Chicago Stags, Providence Steamrollers or – ironically – Pittsburgh Ironmen.  New York won its first meeting with the boys from Beantown. Won the second, too. They finished ahead of the Celtics in the standings their first four years; even as Boston became the better regular-season club, it was the Knicks who reached three consecutive Finals.

Around that time, a sub-6-foot Brooklyn-born Russian Jew named Arnold Jacob Auerbach took over the Celtics, and suddenly the tortoise became the hare, leaving New York in the dust, their downwind smelling of champagne and faint cigars. The Knickerbockers have been chasing the dragon ever since, that perfect high from a Golden Age always agonizingly just out of reach.

Last night kicked off year 78 of the rivalry, with the Celtics riding a late surge to a 108-104 win. Once again, the difference-maker was a one-time New Yorker, albeit 17 inches taller than Auerbach, and by way of Liepāja, Latvia. Behind 30 points from newcomer Kristaps Porziņģis – a franchise record for a Celtic debut – the gang in green won out over the white and orange. KP’s 30 only tell half the story, which only tells half the story, which only tells half the story.

In addition to adding perimeter punch by replacing Robert Williams with Porziņģis, the Celtics remain committed to rim protection thanks to the 7-foot-3 shot blocker, who had four rejections last night. If obscure firsts are your thing, KP also became the first player ever with at least five threes and four blocks in his first game for his team. The Celtics are a top contender; giving up X to get Y doesn’t accomplish much at their level. By replacing Williams with Porziņģis and Marcus Smart with Jrue Holiday, Boston significantly improved offensively at two positions while losing nothing on the other end; one could even argue KP and Holiday are the better defensive duo.

Five paragraphs in and no mention of Jayson Tatum is testament to how good his team is at the top. The Celtics’ depth will be a question that can only be answered come June, but there isn’t a better top-six in the Association, all of them two-way players. Offense takes time to jell, but put five strangers together who all care about getting stops and you’re onto something. Working two new starters into a unit that’s been together for years demands labor; Tatum makes that process a lot easier on the eyes.   

The Knicks played the role of the hare, trailing most of the game before a fast and furious charge saw them take a late lead. The value of continuity was on display: while both Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle struggled with their shots from the jump, they combined for 13 assists against just two turnovers. Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett picked up the scoring slack with 24 apiece while Isaiah Hartenstein and his Zahir-like new arm ink stepped in for the foul-rich Mitchell Robinson. At one point in the fourth-quarter comeback, it felt like last season, like the Knicks were destined to keep blowing the roof off our expectations and MSG’s pinwheel ceiling.  Quentin Grimes missing a late wide-open three (off a sick pass from Brunson) when the Knicks had all the momentum felt like opportunity knocking but nobody answered the door.

Instead, a Porziņģis 9-1 run was when the lead changed hands for the last time. Still, last night was but one game out of 82. The Knicks probably aren’t going to shoot 37% all year. They surely won’t miss nearly half their free throws (if they do, just kill me now). 90% of the teams they face won’t be as tough as Boston. The Knicks have been the tortoise for much of these teams’ histories, but if we’re talking titles over the past 37 seasons the standings show Boston 1, New York 0. These Celtics have the engine, but maybe not enough gas in the tank to reach their final destination. These Knicks got a full tank, but maybe not the the horsepower. Slow and steady won the race for the tortoise. Next game is Friday in Atlanta. Left foot, right foot . . .