Jalen Brunson scored 31 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns added 26 with 13 rebounds to lead the New York Knicks (2-0) past the Boston Celtics (0-2) 105-95 on Friday night.
New York built a commanding 42-14 second quarter to take a 64-44 halftime lead, echoing their playoff dominance over Boston last season. The Knicks appeared poised for a blowout, but a sloppy third quarter allowed the Celtics to cut the lead to single digits in the fourth.
Brunson made key baskets down the stretch, helping New York maintain a comfortable margin. Towns contributed efficiently inside, adding six offensive rebounds and five assists alongside his scoring.
Jaylen Brown scored 23 points on his 29th birthday for Boston, while Sam Hauser added 18 points on six three-pointers. The Celtics struggled defensively in the second quarter and could not recover despite a late push.
Josh Hart returned from a lower-back injury to pull down 14 rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench, providing energy for the Knicks. OG Anunoby left the game midway through the fourth quarter after landing awkwardly while defending a shot.
The Knicks shot 38.4% from three-point range, making 17 of 45 attempts, while Boston converted 34.1% from deep. New York also held a rebound advantage, 53-37, which helped secure their second straight win.
With the victory, New York improves to 2-0 and will face the Miami Heat at home on Sunday, while the Celtics visit Detroit also on Sunday looking for their first win of the season.
