NBA

USA, Oct 22 (PL) The New York Knicks-Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves-Los Angeles Lakers duels will start today the official calendar of the 2024-2025 season of the American Basketball League (NBA).

Defending champions Boston will begin their title defense with new energy, something they have not successfully accomplished since 1968-1969.

It will be difficult to match a campaign in which they led from start to finish with a record of 64 wins and 18 losses, the best in the NBA regular season, and then 16-3 in the playoffs.

For their part, the Knicks showed a resurgence in the previous contest and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals, a goal they intend to surpass with the important moves they made.

The acquisition of Dominican Karl-Anthony Towns represents an important addition from the offensive point of view, and he was joined in the preseason market by Mikal Bridges, although specifically for Tuesday's game their center Precious Achiuwa will not be available.

In the other matchup of the day, two teams that have every expectation of being in the fight when spring arrives meet.

The trade with the Knicks meant that the Timberwolves got rid of Towns, but acquired Julius Randle, and managed to retain their great star, Anthony Edwards, and Frenchman Rudy Gubert, so they hope to return to the Western Conference Finals, as they did last year.

The great expectation for the Los Angeles team is to see LeBron James and his son play together, but selling jerseys and filling the stadium will not guarantee them to advance to the postseason.