It's hard to believe that the 2024-25 NBA playoffs are right around the corner, meaning it won't be long before the Boston Celtics will try to win their second of back-to-back NBA Championships.
Fortunately, the Celtics are on the right path toward making another deep playoff run. Joe Mazzulla's team is currently occupying the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 49-19 record, leaving time to tell what Boston can do to further improve its playoff outlook.
Having said that, the Celtics' chances of winning another title may have just improved after the latest injury news regarding one of their rivals.
Celtics News: Knicks' Jalen Brunson Will be Sidelined Until Late-March, Early-April
As a fellow Atlantic Division franchise, the New York Knicks are one team that Celtics fans are always monitoring — especially since the former is currently third in the East. Having said that, the Knicks have been without star guard Jalen Brunson (ankle) for the last few weeks, and it looks like he's set to miss even more time.
"Sources tell me (Brunson's injury) is more of a three-to-four week minimum return timeframe," NBA insider Shams Charania reported on Saturday evening. "That sidelines him through late March, early April."
Reporting for ABC NBA Countdown -- Knicks' Jalen Brunson expected out through late March/early April, and fallout from Mikal Bridges and Tom Thibodeau meeting: pic.twitter.com/NtkgNMyI6R
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 16, 2025
Brunson hasn't suited up since a 113-109 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on March 6. The 28-year-old backcourt special had 39 points on 13-of-26 shooting before exiting the outing with an ankle sprain.
The Knicks only have 16 games remaining and have their last regular-season outing on Apr. 13, meaning there's a good chance that Brunson will miss the remainder of the regular season. While it's always unfortunate to see any player hurt, Celtics fans won't complain about the two-time All-Star missing time.
After all, Brunson is often viewed as a top-20 player in the league, if not top 15.
The former Villanova product has taken his game to an elite level since moving to New York in 2022, and his 2024-25 performance is solidifying that fact. In 61 appearances so far this season, Brunson is averaging 26.3 points, 7.4 assists, and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 49.0% from the field and 38.4% on 6.0 three-point attempts per outing.
It isn't hard to imagine what kind of impact Brunson's continued absence will have on the Knicks. Tom Thibodeau's team is only 11-13 in the 24 games that Brunson has missed since the start of the 2022-23 campaign, which includes a 3-6 record in his last nine absences.
Sitting six games ahead of the Knicks, Brunson's absence will likely help the Celtics lock up the East's No. 2 seed. The Atlantic Division rivals will face off again at Madison Square Garden on Apr. 8, though, leaving time to tell if the former 2018 second-rounder will be healthy by then.
As the Knicks continue dealing with Brunson's injury situation, the Celtics will head into the rest of the regular season tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the best NBA Finals odds (+185) on FanDuel Sportsbook.
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