Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Knicks vs Celtics prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Boston.

  • New York had a season record of 50-32.
  • The Knicks were 3rd in points allowed last season.
  • Boston was 64-18 last season.
  • Boston averaged 120.6 points per game last year.

Knicks vs Celtics Prediction

At 7:30 ET, the Celtics (-224) will host the Knicks (+186) in a divisional matchup. Last year, Boston finished 1st in the Eastern Conference with a record of 64-18, while New York finished 2nd in the East at 50-32.

The current over/under line is 223.5, and the Celtics are favored by 5.5 points. TNT will televise the game, which will be played at TD Garden in Boston.

Knicks vs. Celtics Matchup At A Glance

  • Sport: NBA
  • Teams: New York Knicks at Boston Celtics
  • Where: Boston at TD Garden
  • Date: Tuesday, October 22nd
  • Betting Odds BOS -5.5, NY +186 | BOS -224 O/U 223.5

Knicks Preview: Do the Knicks Have What it Takes to Win as Road Underdogs?

The Knicks enter the season ranked 19th in our power rankings, with a 64.6% chance of making the playoffs. Last season, New York finished 50-32, placing 2nd in the Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division. At home, they went 27-14, while they were 23-18 on the road.

Against the spread, the Knicks were 42-39, and they were 36-11 straight-up when favored. They were favored in 47 games, covering the spread in 28 of those. Their average over/under line was 221.9 points, and they had a 36-45-1 O/U record, with their games averaging 221 points per game.

The Knicks finished last season ranked 19th in our offensive power rankings, averaging 112.8 points per game. They were 30th in possessions per game, with 94.8, and 18th in field goal attempts per game, shooting 46.5% (21st). New York was 10th in made threes per game, hitting 13.2 on 36.9% shooting (14th), and they led the league in offensive rebounds per game with 12.7.

Jalen Brunson, who averaged 28.7 points per game last season, is projected to lead the Knicks in scoring, ranking 4th in the league. Mikal Bridges, acquired from the Nets, is projected to be 3rd on the team in scoring, ranking 50th in the league. He's also projected to be 2nd on the team in made threes, ranking 34th in the league.

Last season, the Knicks ranked 17th in our defensive power rankings, allowing 108.2 points per game, the third-best mark in the NBA. Opponents shot 47.1% from the field against them, placing New York 14th in field-goal percentage allowed, while they ranked 12th in three-point defense, holding teams to 36.2% shooting from beyond the arc.

Karl-Anthony Towns, one of the NBA’s top rebounders, leads the way inside, but the Knicks ranked just 21st in defensive rebounding. They also averaged 4.1 blocks per game, ranking 29th in the league, and were 17th in steals, with 7.5 per contest.

Celtics Preview: Do the Celtics Have What it Takes at Home?

Ranked 19th in our pre-season power rankings, the Knicks are projected to have a 64.6% chance of making the playoffs. Last season, New York finished 50-32, placing 2nd in both the Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division. They were 27-14 at home and 23-18 on the road.

New York had a 42-39 ATS record and went 36-11 straight-up when favored. They were favored in 47 games, covering the spread in 28 of them. The average over/under line for their games was 221.9 points, and they had a 36-45-1 O/U record, with their games averaging 221 points per contest.

Boston enters the season ranked 1st in our offensive power rankings after finishing 2nd in points per game (120.6) last season. The Celtics were 20th in possessions per game (97.2), but they ranked 8th in field goal attempts (90.2) and 7th in field goal percentage (48.7%). Boston led the league in three-pointers made (16.5) and attempted (42.5) per game, finishing 2nd in three-point percentage (38.8%).

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown return as Boston's top scoring threats, with Tatum projected to lead the team in points and three-pointers. He ranks 6th in our league-wide scoring projections. Brown is projected 20th in scoring and 37th in three-pointers. Derrick White and Jrue Holiday are also expected to be key contributors, with White projected 32nd in three-pointers made.

Boston heads into the season ranked 8th in our defensive power rankings after finishing 6th in points allowed last year, giving up just 109.2 per game. They led the league in blocked shots, averaging 6.6 per game, and were the NBA’s top rebounding team. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are among the best rebounders at their positions, while Derrick White is considered one of the top shot-blocking guards.

Opponents shot just 45.3% from the field against the Celtics last season, the second-lowest percentage in the league. Boston also held teams to 34.9% shooting from beyond the arc, ranking 3rd in three-point defense.

Knicks vs Celtics Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

  • Through their last ten road contests, the Knicks offense has averaged 109 points per game while allowing an average of 112. New York posted an overall record of 5-5 while going 6-4 ATS.
  • When looking at their past three home matchups, Boston has an ATS record of 1-2 while averaging 98 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
  • Looking back on the team's last three games as the underdog, the Knicks have a straight up record of 0-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 1-2.
  • Spanning across their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Celtics have gone 3-6-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 9-1.

Knicks vs Celtics Prediction

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