It was far from pretty, but the Boston Celtics opened up their season with a gritty 108-104 road win over the New York Knicks.

The C's largely controlled the game, however, the Knicks never went away and were rewarded for it when they took their first lead in the fourth quarter. Thanks to stars Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porziņgis, Boston recovered and left a raucous Madison Square Garden crowd disappointed.

Although it's just the first game of the season, there was a lot to take from the Celtics' close victory. Let's break down the contest further with three overreactions from Boston's 2023-24 NBA season opener.

Kristaps Porzingis could be an All-Star again

The season opener brought plenty of mixed emotions for Porzingis. New York is where the 28-year-old started his career, and his only All-Star selection came back in 2018 when he was a Knick.

This wasn't just a homecoming though, as Porziņgis was also making his Celtics debut. The Latvian center left a great first impression, notching four blocks and scoring 30 points—the most ever in a Celtics debut. In addition, he hit a pivotal triple with 1:29 remaining to give Boston a 104-101 lead. From there, the Green Team would close out the win with free throws.

Simply put, without Porzingis, the Celtics would have lost this one. Despite the hostile environment around him, as Knicks fans were jeering at him late in the fourth quarter, Porzingis hit multiple clutch shots and dominated on both sides of the ball. If he continues to play like that (while staying healthy) he should be well on his way to another All-Star selection.

Celtics' bench is a possible concern

There's no question that the Celtics are stacked with talent. They boast a formidable starting five with Porzingis, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White. But, to bring that star-studded cast together, the bench took a hit.

Even though the Green Team prevailed, their bench was outscored 38-12. While potential Sixth Man of the Year candidate Immanuel Quickley inflated the numbers for the Knicks with 24 points, Boston had only two bench members score at all.

Center Al Horford, who's more accustomed to starting, hit a few big triples and posted eight points. Point guard Payton Pritchard struggled from deep but still managed to hit two crucial free throws down the stretch to reach a total of four points.

Three-point specialist Sam Hauser was cold from beyond the arc, missing all four of his attempts. Center Luke Kornet didn't look great either, as he was scoreless and outworked on the boards in his seven minutes of play.

If Boston hopes to find some consistency, it'll need more bench production. Tatum and company should be good enough most of the time, but at some point, the bench has to be complementary on both sides of the ball.

Losing reigning Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon and guys like Grant Williams and Robert Williams III definitely hurt the Celtics' bench. Hopefully, they'll be able to find another spark off the pine that can help when the starters have an off night.

Starting Derrick White is the right choice

Unlike Tatum, Horford, Brown, Holiday, and Porzingis, White has never been an All-Star. However, he's arguably one of the most important players on the C's.

The Colorado native had 12 points, two steals, six rebounds, and one block in 31 minutes. While Horford has been a starter for nearly all of his basketball career, White got the nod against New York and proved coach Joe Mazzulla right.

White is a steadying force in the starting lineup that shows up on both ends of the floor. Plus, at 29 years old, he's much younger than Horford and up to the task of defending speedy guards.

Mazzulla will probably continue to play around with the rotations early on in the season, but White joining the starting five could be the right choice from here on out.