Knicks Face Celtics in Playoffs: A Fresh Start?
The Knicks have a pivotal chance to show that they can shake off a tough regular season as they enter the playoffs. They really hope to put that behind them.
This season, New York struggled, losing all ten matchups against teams with 60 or more wins.
Teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics defeated them by an average of 16.8 points—though three of those games were closer, decided by just single digits.
In the second round, the Knicks will be up against their Atlantic division rivals starting Monday. However, expectations are a bit high; many believe that to make it to the conference finals for the first time since 2000, they’ll need to get past the reigning champions.
Going into the series, Boston is heavily favored at -800 and it almost feels like the odds suggest the Knicks could snag a win. That, I think, reflects what we’ve seen throughout the season, so it looks pretty reasonable.
The Celtics swept the Knicks in all four meetings, with their only close win being a two-point overtime victory. There’s a possibility for New York to pull off an upset, but it might not be much beyond that.
Knicks vs Celtics Odds
| Team | Spread | Money Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knicks | +9.5 (-110) | +310 | 212.5 or higher (-110) |
| Celtics | -9.5 (-110) | -400 | Less than 212.5 (-110) |
Knicks vs Celtics Prediction
If I had to pick, I’d say my favorite in this series is Jayson Tatum, scoring at +100 odds on BetMgm. He’s been outstanding, averaging 33.5 points in their four matchups, supported by other capable shooters, but the ball really goes through him.
Jalen Brunson is the other key player, also at +100 odds, and he remains the only significant challenge Tatum faces. Then again, whether Brunson can maintain his usual magic while taking on Tatum is still an open question.
This season, Brunson averaged 26.8 points against Boston, just above his overall average of 26.0. What’s interesting though is that he only attempted 4.5 free throws across those four games, which is the least he’s had against any opponent.
It’s my hunch that Boston will continue to defend Brunson effectively, not letting him get to the line as much. Also, New York really needs to work as a team; expecting Brunson to score over 30 points consistently isn’t really a winning strategy.
As it stands, I think Boston will take the series in either four or five games, and Tatum’s overall contribution should shine brighter than Brunson’s. There could be times when Tatum doesn’t lead the scoring for individual games, but I have a feeling he’ll stand out throughout the series.
Pick: Jayson Tatum leads the series in points scored (+100, BetMgm)
