Friday, the Boston Celtics host the New York Knicks in their home opener at TD Garden. Their first tilt on the parquet in their new campaign will double as a harsh reminder to their opposition.
The NBA's reigning champions remain on the short list of title contenders. However, the parity-promoting collective bargaining agreement cost them Mitchell Robinson. The seven-foot center was integral to the team that ended a 53-year drought last June.
Unfortunately for the Knicks, James Dolan was right. It would have been a mistake to venture into the second apron for their No. 2 center. Even without him, they're yet to reach contract extensions with Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, and Miles McBride. That trio's future with the team is up in the air. It could undermine New York's quest to become the first team to win back-to-back NBA titles since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018.
At least that trio is still in the Big Apple to help the cause. Robinson is now on a division rival. In his place is Andre Drummond. Respectfully, that's a significant downgrade. He's a target defensively. Unlike Boston's new center, he won't make plays as a passer or beat his defender off the dribble from the perimeter. The former is even more impactful at what Drummond does best: rebounding. Robinson is the best rebounder in the Association since he entered the league.
Mitchell Robinson's focus isn't on the Knicks
When Robinson takes the floor against the franchise he spent the first eight years of his career with, his motivation won't be reminding them what they lost.
His focus is on atoning for his performance in the Celtics' 121-113 loss to the Detroit Pistons. When he met with the media at the Auerbach Center two days later, it was evident that he remains frustrated with how he played in Boston's season opener.
"I played like trash," he said on Thursday. "It doesn't really matter that I'm playing my former team. It's more so just trying to bounce back from what happened two nights ago. At the end of the day, it's basketball, it's a business, and you've gotta play that team just like you play any other team."
Surely, he'd love to send his former club a loud reminder of what they lost. One would also think that facing them for the first time after spending nearly a decade in New York, building the bonds Robinson has over there, and reaching the NBA summit together will conjure up emotions that add another layer to this matchup.
Losing Mitchell Robinson makes the Knicks vulnerable
What happens if Towns gets injured? They could trade another integral team member to try to fill the void. However, their lack of flexibility will make it challenging to do so without weakening another part of the team.
Even if their All-Star center stays healthy and doesn't let his contractual issues with the club get in the way of his performance, when he's off the floor, there's now a significant drop-off. Drummond isn't the caliber of player Robinson is.
Towns stepped up on defense in the playoffs, especially in the Finals against Victor Wembanyama. However, he has spent most of his career as a liability and a prime target on that end. He has to prove the postseason wasn't an outlier. Even if he does, what happens when Drummond comes in? Those minutes with Towns on the bench could be a critical factor in why they come up short in the playoffs.
Fortunately for the Celtics, the Knicks' loss was their gain. And while the season opener didn't go the way Robinson wanted. Friday, he has a chance to bounce back, get his first game against New York out of the way, and remind them what they're missing in their mission for another championship.
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