NBA Predictions: Can the Knicks prevent the Celtics from repeating?

Melissa Rohlin

FOX Sports NBA writer

Yaron Weitzman

FOX Sports NBA writer

The 2024-25 NBA season begins Tuesday and FOX Sports' NBA staff is making their predictions before games begin.

The Boston Celtics enter the season as favorites to win the Eastern Conference after winning a record 18th NBA championship last season. But can the New York Knicks avoid a repeat after trading for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges in the offseason?

Let's see what our experts had to say:

1. The Knicks had a busy offseason Mikal Bridges And Karl Anthony cities in blockbuster trades. How much do these new additions change the ceiling of this team? Can the increase in talent compensate for the loss of culture and continuity?

Yaron Weitzman: Consistency and culture are nice, but talent wins in the NBA. The Knicks with KAT are a more talented team than last season. It will be fascinating to see how it all comes together and how Tom Thibodeau builds a defense around Jalen Brunson and Towns. But with Towns' spacing and the addition of Bridges, the Knicks will be an incredible offensive team. With Bridges and OG Anunoby on the wings, the bet is that they give the Celtics a lead.

Melissa Rohlin: This is an exciting time for the Knicks, who now have one of the strongest starting lineups in the league with Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges. For a team that hasn't reached the conference finals since 2000, these aggressive trades are an important step toward being truly competitive. But are they strong enough and will they have enough chemistry and cohesion to beat the defending champion Boston Celtics in a seven-game series? That is questionable at this point.

2. Daryl Morey's latest attempt to build a competitor Joel Embiid contains Paul Georgearguably the most dynamic star Embiid has played with. How do you rate George's passing with the Sixers? Is he someone who can keep the Sixers competitive in the event of another long-term injury to Embiid?

Weitzman: George is a perfect fit for this Sixers team. He gives them everything they didn't have and what Joel Embiid hasn't had since the team parted ways with Jimmy Butler: a big, dynamic wing who can generate offense and prevent opponents from scoring. Add that along with Embiid and the explosive Tyrese Maxey, and you have probably the best Big 3 in the NBA. His presence will also allow the Sixers to give Embiid more days off during the regular season so he can be healthy and fresh come the playoffs.

Rohlin: This was the best possible move for the 76ers, who now have an All-Star at the guard, wing and center positions in Tyrese Maxey, George and Joel Embiid. If Embiid is sidelined due to injury, Maxey and George should be able to carry enough of a load to keep the 76ers atop the Eastern Conference. And if all three stay healthy, I could see the 76ers being real championship contenders this season.

3. The dollar go into the second season of Giannis Antetokounmpo–Damian Lillard project and the first full season under Doc Rivers. Is there any reason for Bucks fans to be more optimistic about Milwaukee's championship prospects this season, or should we expect more of the same?

Weitzman: It's hard to imagine things getting worse this year. Doc Rivers will now receive a full offseason and training camp with the team, and Giannis and Lillard will receive a full training camp together. The addition of Gary Trent Jr. should also help the group. The question is whether Khris Middleton can recover after offseason surgery on both ankles. I doubt Milwaukee can overtake the Knicks, Sixers or Celtics, but I wouldn't bet against Giannis either.

Rohlin: I expect this team to be much better than last season. Lillard wasn't the Lillard we know after being traded to a team he didn't expect in the middle of training camp. To make matters worse, he was going through a divorce and was separated from his children. Before this season, he vowed that he was in a better headspace and showed up to training camp in great shape. Additionally, Lillard and Antetokounmpo have very different styles and needed more time to learn and adapt to each other's game. Now they have a full training camp under their belt, they will have stability from the top under coach Doc Rivers. I expect this to be a revenge year for the Bucks after they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season.

(RELATED: Damian Lillard is out for “revenge” with the Bucks after the “hardest year of my life.”)

4. When the rest of the Eastern Conference reset, the Celtics returned with the same championship roster from last season. Should they be the unanimous favorites to get out of the Eastern Conference again this season or will there be a step backwards?

Weitzman: The Celtics not only won the Eastern Conference last season, they also lapped the field. They finished the regular season 14 games (!) ahead of the No. 2 seed New York Knicks and only lost three games in the entire postseason. They also bring back their entire core. They'll be without Kristaps Porzingis for a while, and the rest of the conference has improved, so it won't be easy for the Celtics this season. But this team is still clearly the favorite to emerge from the conference.

Rohlin: The Celtics are not only the favorites to win the Eastern Conference, they are also the favorites to win a championship. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown finally overcame the crisis together and the team returned to its core. Last season they were No. 1 in offensive rating and No. 2 in defensive rating and only lost three games in the playoffs. Much of the league has improved in the offseason and running them may not be as easy this time around, but the Celtics are definitely the team to fear this season.

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5. Looking at the landscape of the Eastern Conference, it's easy to imagine a high-profile player asking out before the trade deadline. Which star or star situation will you be keeping an eye on as the season progresses?

Weitzman: Jimmy Butler. He wanted an extension over the offseason but didn't get it, and if he declines his player option he could be a free agent in the summer. So far he has been diplomatic. But we've seen in the past what can happen to Butler if he doesn't get the contract he wanted.

Rohlin: I also have to go with Jimmy Butler. There were no funny shenanigans during media day like the emo Jimmy signaling that he was now serious. He did not receive a contract extension from the Heat and has the opportunity to become a free agent this summer if he does not exercise his player option. These are the reasons for a very difficult situation in Miami between the franchise and its superstar.

Yaron Weitzman is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. He is the author of “Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Boldest Trial in the History of Professional Sports.”.” Follow him on Twitter @YaronWeitzman.

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.

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