The Boston Celtics face the New York Knicks in the NBA Regular Season on Friday, October 23, 2026, at TD Garden in Boston. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (19:00 local venue time), and the game will be broadcast live in the United States on Prime Video.
Both Eastern Conference teams enter the matchup with a 0-1 record in the 2026-27 regular season after losing their opening games on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The Celtics blew a 22-point lead in a road loss to the Detroit Pistons, while the Knicks lost 106-100 at home to the Philadelphia 76ers following their championship ring ceremony. During the 2025-26 regular season, New York won three of the four head-to-head games against Boston.
Where to watch Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks live
Fans in the United States can follow the NBA Regular Season broadcast through the platform listed below:
- Prime Video (streaming)
Start time and location for Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks
The official schedule and venue details for the Eastern Conference game are confirmed as follows:
- Date: Friday, October 23, 2026
- Start time: 7 p.m. ET (19:00 local venue time in America/New_York)
- Location: TD Garden, in Boston
- Competition: NBA (North American basketball league) — Regular Season
Read also: New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers: where to watch live and start time (NBA, Oct 20)
How the Boston Celtics enter the game
Coached by Joe Mazzulla, the Boston Celtics restructured their roster during the offseason after finishing second in the Eastern Conference at 56-26 in 2025-26 and losing a 3-1 first-round playoff series lead to the Philadelphia 76ers. The franchise traded Jaylen Brown to the 76ers to acquire forward Paul George, and also signed point guard Mike Conley and center Mitchell Robinson, who spent the previous eight seasons with the Knicks.
In the season opener against the Detroit Pistons, Paul George broke the franchise scoring record for a Celtics debut with 38 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, hitting 12-of-21 shots from the field and 7-of-12 from three-point range. Star forward Jayson Tatum finished that game with 13 points on 6-of-23 shooting and missed all of his three-point attempts, while guard Derrick White and rotation guard Payton Pritchard scored 17 points each.
Boston’s core lineup features Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Derrick White, and Mitchell Robinson, with Payton Pritchard and Mike Conley in the rotation. Robinson suffered a mild left ankle sprain in the second quarter against Detroit, but returned to the court and was confirmed by Joe Mazzulla as cleared to play against his former team. “What can I do to help my team? Once I feel good about that after the game, that’s when I know I did pretty good,” Robinson said. On the official injury report, guard Devin Carter is ruled out due to illness (mononucleosis).
How the New York Knicks enter the game
Led by head coach Mike Brown, the New York Knicks are the defending NBA champions after finishing first in the Eastern Conference with a 59-23 record in 2025-26 and defeating the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the Finals in June 2026. To reinforce the bench and replace Mitchell Robinson in the offseason, the team signed backup center Andre Drummond along with Jordan Clarkson, Landry Shamet, and Jose Alvarado.
The Knicks have their entire starting five healthy and off the injury report: point guard and 2026 Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, center Karl-Anthony Towns, forwards OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, and guard/forward Josh Hart. In the opening loss to Philadelphia, Karl-Anthony Towns was limited to 24 minutes of court time after committing three first-half fouls, converting 6-of-9 field goals and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.
On the official NBA injury report for New York, Jaden Akins, Kevin McCullar Jr., and Tyler Nickel are listed as questionable. However, the designation is due to their two-way contract assignments with the G League affiliate in Westchester rather than physical injuries.
Read also: Detroit Pistons vs Boston Celtics: where to watch live and start time (NBA, Oct 20)
Officiating for Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks
The officiating crew for the game has not yet been announced, as the NBA releases referee assignments only hours before tip-off on game day, and the league utilizes the NBA Replay Center rather than a soccer-style VAR system.
Head-to-head history and next game for the New York Knicks
Before winning three of the four regular-season meetings against Boston in the 2025-26 campaign, the Knicks and Celtics competed directly at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Following Friday’s matchup at TD Garden, the New York Knicks will return to New York for their next scheduled commitment on Sunday, October 25, 2026, when they host the Orlando Magic.
