The Boston Celtics’ season opener is starting to look a lot less like a mystery and a lot more like a trip back into enemy territory.
The latest hint points to Boston opening the 2026-27 season against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, a matchup plenty of people already suspected once New York won its first NBA championship in 53 years last month. Until now, though, it was just talk. That changed Monday morning when former New York Giants running back and current WFAN host Tiki Barber may have let something slip about the league’s plans for banner night in New York.
During Monday’s “Evan and Tiki” show on WFAN, Barber seemed to be reaching for where he had heard the information.
“I feel like I heard that,” he tried to recall during Monday’s Evan and Tiki show on WFAN. “I don’t know where I heard that from. Maybe I heard it from Marc [Leder], I don’t know.”
At first, Barber sounded like he was guessing along with everyone else. Then he appeared to point to a more specific source, Knicks minority owner Marc Leder.
“I just heard this over the weekend,” he continued. “When I was with Marc Leder, who is one of the minority owners, and I feel like maybe he told us and he shouldn’t have. But, we’ll find out.”
If that turns out to be the case, it would be a rough way for Boston to start the season.
For at least one Celtics fan, the idea of watching the Knicks raise a banner in front of a packed Garden is about as unpleasant as it gets. The image of Spike Lee, Timothee Chalamet, Ben Stiller, and the rest of New York’s celebrity crowd soaking it in only adds to the misery.
It also would serve as a sharp reminder of how much has flipped in just two years. In 2024, the Celtics were the ones on top, with the Knicks coming to TD Garden to watch Boston raise its record 18th NBA championship banner before getting blown out on the parquet.
Back then, Boston looked built for a run at becoming the league’s first repeat champion in six years. The roster was intact, and the stars were locked in on long-term deals.
Then the wheels came off.
Kristaps Porzingis got sick, Boston wasted two huge fourth-quarter leads against the Knicks in the playoffs, Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles tendon, the Celtics had to move Porzingis and Jrue Holiday’s contracts to stay under the second apron, Tatum returned after Boston put together an impressive three quarters of the season, then they blew a 3-1 first-round series lead and lost to the Philadelphia 76ers for the first time in 44 years, and finally the Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the 76ers.
It was a lot more fun in 2024. Now it’s the other way around.
In Other News...
Celtics Suddenly Have A Wing Worth Chasing If Brad Pays The Price
Bostons search for another wing has turned up a name worth monitoring, but the path to getting there is anything but simple. Cameron Johnson has emerged as a player the Celtics are exploring, and the appeal is obvious for a team that can always use more size, shooting and lineup flexibility on the perimeter. The problem is that Bostons cap situation makes a clean fit difficult, so any serious pursuit would likely require more than just interest and a phone call.
The Nuggets, meanwhile, do not appear eager to rush into a move, which adds another layer to the puzzle for Brad Stevens and company. If Denver is willing to wait, the trade deadline could become the more realistic window for a deal, especially if Boston is still juggling the kind of outgoing pieces needed to make the money work. For now, the Celtics have a target worth chasing, but not one they can simply go out and get. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics May Be Drifting From The Identity That Won Them A Title
Bostons center picture is starting to look a lot different from the one that helped define its title run. After leaning into a five-out, shooting-heavy approach at the position, the Celtics have moved toward a more traditional mix by bringing in Mitchell Robinson and keeping Neemias Queta and Luka Garza around, a sign that rebounding, screening and interior presence now matter more than spacing at the five.
The shift also reflects a market reality, since there simply were not many stretch centers available in free agency. Boston still has room to change course if a shooting big man surfaces later, and the front office can keep adjusting based on how the current group fits, but for now the roster points toward a different kind of frontcourt than the one Celtics fans got used to. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Walsh Deal Could Signal A Bigger Celtics Decision
Jordan Walshs new deal gives the Celtics a little more breathing room with one of their younger wings, and it says plenty about how the team views his trajectory. The 21-year-old played 68 games last season and flashed enough on both ends to make himself a real part of Bostons long-term picture, which is why the extension fits as much as a reward for progress as it does a bet on what comes next.
Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez complicate the picture in a way Boston has to keep sorting through. The Celtics have three young wings with rotation-level upside, but not nearly enough minutes to satisfy all of them, and that kind of logjam can shape everything from development plans to roster decisions down the line. Walshs place in that mix may be secure for now, but the bigger question is how long Boston can keep all three in the same lane. [Read more 🡒]