Julius Randle had a message for the Boston Celtics ahead of their November 13 matchup against the New York Knicks, the second of the season between the Atlantic Division rivals, informing them that New York owes them a receipt for the green team’s opening night victory.
“We owe ’em one,” Randle stated (via the New York Post). “But they’re a fantastic team.” We have to put our best foot forward, recover [on November 12], and prepare for a battle.”
RJ Barrett (“Very important game”) and Jalen Brunson (“Be Better”) provided less eloquent responses, but the significance of the second matchup of the season, this time on the TD Garden parquet, is not lost on a rising Eastern Conference contender looking to establish themselves as a true rival to the Celtics.
The Boston Celtics must be concerned about the Philadelphia 76ers.
Since the trade of James Harden, the Philadelphia 76ers have not lost a single game, going 7-0 in November since the Halloween day transaction.
The Sixers dealing Harden turned out to be the scariest thing about that day.
Harden’s absence from Philadelphia makes the Sixers a more formidable opponent for the Celtics, and the Sixers have already defeated Boston in their season opener. With a healthy Joel Embiid as the reigning MVP, a rising star in Tyrese Maxey who has eclipsed the 25-point-per-game mark in 2023-24, and sterling tertiary efforts from Tobias Harris (19.9 PPG) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (16.3 PPG), there may not be a group in the league clicking on more cylinders right now than Philly’s.
For the first time in the “Process” era, the Celtics have a live threat in Philadelphia, and it’s the Sixers, not the Knicks, that Boston must worry about in the playoffs.
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