With the acquisition of Tyson Chandler and the congested NBA schedule caused by the lockout, the New York Knicks believe this season could mark their return to the Eastern Conference elite. In order to earn that type of respect, the Knicks know that they need to step up their physicality to beat the likes of the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls.
After a gutty performance down the stretch, which saw the Knicks pick up key stops in the final two minutes of their 106-104 win, New York showed its ready to ignite the rivalry with the Celtics. Following a miss by Kevin Garnett at the buzzer, which would have sent the game to overtime, Garnett and Bill Walker exchanged some words and shoves:
Following a season in which they often struggled to win games down the stretch, the Knicks will be pleased with this victory in the season-opener. After a tense playoff series last season, and the physicality of the matchup in the season-opener, it seems that the Knicks vs. Celtics rivalry could be back.