Getty RJ Barrett of the New York Knicks drives towards the basket past Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics.
Last season, the New York Knicks proved to be one of the surprise teams in the NBA considering their 10-game improvement in the win column compared to the year prior and the fact that they clinched their first playoff series win since the 2012-13 campaign.
Now, with a slew of offseason tweaks and talent additions, the organization is looking to build off these aforementioned successes in 2023-24.
Of course, fans will have to wait a few months before they can actually get a glimpse of what this new-look Knicks team can actually accomplish when in action, though, with the recent release of the regular season schedule, these faithful followers now have an early look at what the franchise will find themselves going up against in the new league year.
Within this 82-game slate are a plethora of noteworthy matchups and events, though there are three, in particular, that fans should already have marked on their calendars.
Key Knicks Date No. 1) November 3, 2023
Kicking things off is New York’s November 3 bout against the always-menacing Milwaukee Bucks.
Aside from it being a grueling early-season matchup versus the league’s most winningest team from last season (held the best record at 58-24), this date also marks the tip-off to the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament for the Knicks.
Part of Group B in the Eastern Conference during the festivities, Tom Thibodeau and company will be looking to get off to a hot start in their quest for gold, though the Bucks serving as their first challenger is certainly no ideal scenario.
Unfortunately for New York, since 2019-20 Milwaukee boasts a dominant 10-3 record in head-to-head contests so history suggests starting the tournament off with a victory may be a steep uphill task.
Nevertheless, considering it’s the first game ever on such a stage, fans should keep November, 3 on file.
Key Knicks Date No. 2) October 25, 2023
Season openers should always be a date high on the minds of Knicks fans worldwide. However, when it’s a matchup against their long-time divisional rival, the Boston Celtics, the specific day on the calendar should be freed up for one thing only: uninterrupted viewership.
2023-24 marks the second time in three years that the two have opened up their respective regular seasons against one another.
The last time wound up being an epic showdown that saw back-and-forth action throughout, astonishing individual performances by Julius Rande (35 points, nine assists, eight rebounds) and, then, newcomer Evan Fournier (32 points) of the Knicks and Jaylen Brown (46 points) of the Celtics, and a thrilling 138-134 double-overtime finish leaning in favor of New York.
🗣 BANG! EVAN FOURNIER FROM DOWNTOWN.
Including this contest, the two clubs have squared off against one another on eight total occasions over the last two seasons, with three of said outings extending into extra innings.
The Knickerbockers hold a 5-3 record in the series during this span.
Without a doubt, fans will be hoping to see this exhilarating string of shows continue on into opening night.
Key Knicks Date No. 1) November 24, 2023
The Knicks were sent packing from the second round of the 2023 NBA Postseason in six games against the eventual Eastern Conference Champions, the Miami Heat.
November 24 will be New York’s first shot at redemption.
While their semifinals matchup was certainly an entertaining one, what overshadowed it a bit for Knicks fans was the concerning status of All-NBA big man Julius Randle, who came into the playoffs hobbled by a grueling left ankle injury and, despite suiting up for all but one game during the Heat series, he never seemed to fully recover.
Julius Randle was asked if his ankle impacted his play at all during the series:
“I’m not one to make excuses”
Now following his arthroscopic surgery and a full offseason for recovery, the hope is the Knicks will be able to have their star centerpiece back to full health to start the season, and, in Randle’s eyes, such luxuries will wind up making him an overall better basketball player.
On top of the fact that this will be the first rematch for either team since the action-packed postseason, it will also be right in the middle of the preliminary stage of the In-Season Tournament, thus making it yet another high-stakes affair.
Add all this to the fact that the bout will take place in front of an always energetic Madison Square Garden crowd, and one should anticipate some serious fireworks to be let off during this must-watch game.