LAS VEGAS – Very rarely does a Summer League matchup reach “juicy” territory. Thursday’s looming showdown between the Celtics and the Knicks, however, is as juicy as an In-N-Out burger off The Strip.
There’s the Atlantic Division history between the two organizations. There’s the fact that the Knicks are trying to build toward where the Celtics already are. There’s the win-to-move-on aspect of tournament play.
But the key ingredient to the juiciness of this impending game is the matchup between Boston’s defensive specialist, Semi Ojeleye, and New York’s high-scoring wing, Kevin Knox.
Ojeleye, whom the Celtics drafted 37th overall during the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft, is coming off of a rookie season during which he was an important contributor to a team that reached Game 7 of the Eastern Finals.