After watching the Celtics go 16-3 en route to an NBA championship — the second-best playoff winning percentage since 2003 — certain teams in the East realized they had to level up.
First, the Sixers added Paul George to form a new Big Three with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. The Knicks then pulled off a trade for Mikal Bridges by parting with a record haul of draft assets. Even the Magic added two-time champion Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to bolster their title hopes.
The Knicks were not done with Bridges' addition. Last week, they shocked the basketball world by acquiring four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns to address their void at the center spot, not to mention counter Boston's sharpshooting big man duo of Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford.
The Celtics are fully aware that teams are gunning for them. During a preseason practice session on Sunday, head coach Joe Mazzulla addressed the Knicks adding Towns.
"All teams are trying to make roster moves to get better," Mazzulla told reporters, via Justin Turpin of WEEI. "Karl-Anthony Towns is a great player and they are a great team. We've gotta focus on us and we've gotta get better everyday."
Horford — who will match up with Towns when the Celtics host the Knicks on opening night — praised the former Timberwolves star for his versatile skill set.
"Karl is a great player," Horford said, via Noa Dalzell of CLNS Media. "It's going to be good for them. He does a lot of things on the floor."
According to oddsmakers, the Celtics and Knicks are in line to clash in the Eastern Conference Finals for a spot in the 2025 NBA Finals. The opening-night fixture between the two teams could set the tone for the new season. The Knicks likely open with an advantage due to the C's dealing with an injury to Porzingis.
In the meantime, the Celtics will fly to Abu Dhabi on Monday for a pair of preseason games against the Nuggets before returning home to host the Sixers on Oct. 12. Mazzulla is pleased with his team's efforts in training camp as he tries to ensure complacency doesn't creep in after a dominant 2023-24 season.
