3 takeaways from the Knicks' opening loss in Boston

1. It's the defense

For all the talk about the time the Knicks needed to get used to the new pieces on offense, it turns out the defense may have needed time. It wasn't just that the Celtics set an NBA record for most three-pointers in a game with 29 (and they would have set the record if they hadn't missed the final 13 attempts while fans chanted “One more three-pointer”) ). It was that the Knicks looked lost in rotations, a slow move might be generous. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau pointed out that against a team like Boston, second, third and fourth attempts are needed, and they simply weren't there that night. Afterward, when asked what he saw from the defense, Jalen Brunson replied, “Nothing. Plain and simple.”

2. Something is missing

Offensively, Jalen Brunson did what he knows how to do – he efficiently scored 22 points in just 24 minutes. And while the presence of Karl-Anthony Towns, what little you saw of it, opened up the lanes to the rim early, the Knicks lacked the drive and kicking action they had last year when Julius Randle doubled in the lane pulled. As a result, the Knicks attempted just 30 three-pointers, fewer than half of Boston, and converted just 11, seven of which came from the second unit. Towns had the quietest game imaginable with 12 points and seven rebounds. Deuce McBride contributed greatly off the bench, scoring 22 goals and shooting 8 of 10, including 4 of 5 from three.

“They’re really ruining the game,” Josh Hart said. “So you're trying to find the mismatch with KAT at the bottom and you're trying to get me in action with (Al) Horford… Sometimes when you're trying to get someone in action and they're switching and switching, guys are running back and That makes us look stupid trying to get the guy we want on the ball screen. Next thing you know we spend eight seconds trying to do this and then we're fighting each other.”

3. Wings and a prayer

The highly touted pairing of Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby couldn't quite keep up with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in this first test. Anunoby was 1 for 7 in the opening game, including 0 for 4 in three games, a minus-21 in 34 minutes. And Bridges went 0-for-5 (0-4 from three) in the first half before recovering to score 16 points in the second half. But it was defense, her specialty, that was worrisome, as Tatum scored on Bridges at will – with screens and early transitions.

“I think my performance defensively wasn't that good, both for me personally and for our team,” Bridges said. “I think I could have just been better, especially if the guy can do it and have the rhythm of the three and just stand up a little bit more.”

Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, as well as nearly every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.