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New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics: Picks, Predictions, Odds and Player Props

The NBA returns on Tuesday with a blockbuster clash as two of the favorites for the championship at TD Garden with the New York Knicks visiting the reigning champion Boston Celtics. 

The pair have a storied history and, after years in their rivals’ shadow, the Knicks look set to challenge Boston for top spot in the Eastern Conference this time around. 

The Celtics, unsurprisingly given they are the reigning NBA champions, come into this match as favorites, but they may not have it easy in Massachusetts on Tuesday evening. 

New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics betting picks and predictions

New York Knicks +5.5 (-115)

The Celtics were near flawless last term, going 64-18 in the regular season to finish top in the East while posting one of the best net ratings in NBA history, before losing just three games in the postseason as they won their first title since 2008. 

Joe Mazzulla finally got the best out of a roster that promised so much for many years. They showed just how far they had come by beating the Miami Heat 4-1 in the first round of the 2023/24 playoffs, having lost to the same opponents 4-3 in the 2022/23 Eastern Conference Finals. 

With no significant roster changes and Mazzulla still at the helm, it is unsurprising to see the Celtics come into the season as strong favorites to retain their crown. The scoring power of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown was complemented by the defensive prowess of Jrue Holiday and Derrick White last term, and they will all be key to any success they garner this season. 

However, they may now have a new challenger to their title as the best in the Atlantic Division, as an intriguing trade involving the Knicks has seen their odds for the NBA championship slashed in recent weeks. 

Julius Randle had been seen as a poor fit for Tom Thibodeau’s system for a while, so for the Knicks to get one of the league’s most talented centers, Karl-Anthony Towns, in return for their inconsistent forward has to be regarded as a masterstroke from the head office.

Joining Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart in New York, Towns could provide the extra cutting edge the Knicks need to challenge the Celtics in the East. 

Thibodeau’s side improved massively after Anunoby’s arrival last season, winning 20 and losing just three of their games in which he featured. The fit with Towns already seems to be working out well, with New York going 4-1 in preseason. 

The Celtics can’t be knocked as the undoubted best side in the league. However, New York won their last trip to Boston and the new-look Knicks should have enough to cover the spread on Tuesday. 

Jalen Brunson Over 27.5 points (-115)

New York star guard Brunson was key to his side’s success at TD Garden in April, racking up a huge 39 points and making 65.2 percent of his shots in Boston, and he may have a big say on proceedings again. 

The sharp-shooting guard seems to relish the big games, averaging 32.4 points per game in the playoffs last season, and will likely have the scoring title - he finished fourth last season - in his sights this time around. 

Brunson can be a handful for even the best defenders, making Holiday’s potential absence for the Celtics an untimely one. 

Holiday is one of the best defensive guards in the league but is a game-time decision for this clash. If he is deemed unable to play, an already-achievable points line of 27.5 could be demolished by Brunson, and his Points milestone of 35+ at big odds of +350 could be worth considering should Boston’s key defender not feature. 

Karl-Anthony Towns 13+ rebounds (+160)

While he struggled to find his range in pre-season, Towns has impressed on the glass for the Knicks since his arrival from the Minnesota Timberwolves, grabbing 12 or more rebounds in his last three preseason games. 

KAT did not play more than 30 minutes in any of those contests, however, and those rebound numbers could increase further by being on the court for longer at TD Garden, especially against an undersized center in Al Horford. 

Towns has averaged 13 rebounds per game against the Celtics throughout his career and, out to impress his new fans, will work hard to grab boards in Boston once more. 

Read more betting picks and predictions for the NBA on site.

New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics odds

New York Knicks 

+170 ML

Boston Celtics

-205 ML

Spread

BOS Celtics -5.5

Total Points

O/U 223.0

New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics player props

Player Points

Jalen Brunson (NY Knicks)

O/U 27.5

Jayson Tatum (BOS Celtics)

O/U 26.5

Jaylen Brown (BOS Celtics)

O/U 24.5

Karl-Anthony Towns (NY Knicks)

O/U 20.5

Mikal Bridges (NY Knicks)

O/U 14.5

Derrick White (BOS Celtics)

O/U 14.5

Read the latest NBA news on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.

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