Notable numbers as top-seed Celtics face rising Knicks

Two of the NBA’s most storied franchises will battle each other Saturday as a possible Eastern Conference playoff preview.

The surging No. 1 Boston Celtics are coming off a seven-game winning streak, while the New York Knicks sit at No. 4 in the East after stopping a four-game skid.

While the Celtics remain firm on their grip on the Eastern Conference as the top seed, the Knicks are a game behind the third-place Milwaukee Bucks. So far this season, the Celtics have defeated the Knicks in all three matchups.

Here’s a look into some of the historical numbers between the two teams heading into Saturday.

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493: This will be the 493rd time the Celtics and Knicks play each other in a regular-season game, marking the most meetings between any teams in NBA history. The Celtics have won 303 times, which is the most wins by one team against another, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

2: The Celtics are first in the NBA in offensive efficiency and second in defensive efficiency this season.

In the past 25 years, three teams have finished top two in offensive and defensive efficiency: the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors, 2016-17 Warriors and the 2022-23 Celtics. The Warriors won an NBA championship in both of those seasons.

50: When the Celtics beat the Nets 136-186 before the All-Star break, they became the third team in NBA history to win multiple games by 50-plus points in a season.

22: Jalen Brunson — a first-time NBA All-Star — continues his breakout with 22 30-point games this season. Brunson is now third on the list of most 30-point games in a season for guards in Knicks history.

118.5: When the Knicks went on their ascension in January, it was mostly on the defensive end. The acquisition of OG Anunoby played a key part in the turnaround, increasing the Knicks’ defensive efficiency to 104.4, which was first in the NBA.

Since Anunoby’s injury Jan. 29, the defense slipped to 22nd, with an efficiency of 118.5 during February.

ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this article.