Knicks vs. Celtics prediction, odds, pick – 10/22/2024

10/21/2024 12:33 PM

The NBA season is back as the New York Knicks travel to TD Garden to take on the Boston Celtics. The defending champs battle division rivals as we share our NBA odds series and make a Knicks-Celtics prediction and pick.

The Knicks went 50-32 last season and had title aspirations. However, an assortment of injuries caused them to fall short as they lost to the Indiana Pacers in the second round. New York hopes to bounce back to try and contend for an NBA Title.

The Celtics went 64-18 last season and went all the way, winning the NBA Title. Now, the Celtics hope they can repeat as champions and make their way back to the NBA Finals.

Here are the Knicks-Celtics NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NBA Odds: Knicks-Celtics NBA Odds

New York Knicks: +5.5 (-110)

Moneyline: +188

Boston Celtics: -5.5 (-110)

Moneyline: -225

Over: 223.5 (-108)

Under: 223.5 (-112)

How To Watch Knicks vs Celtics 

Time: 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT

TV: TNT

Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)

Why the Knicks Could Cover the Spread/Win

• Jalen Brunson has averaged 18.7 points and 4.6 assists per game against the Celtics.
• Karl-Anthony Towns has averaged 22.3 points and 13 rebounds over 13 games against the Celtics.
• Mikal Bridges has averaged 15.7 points and 4.1 rebounds over 15 games against the Celtics.
• OG Anunoby averaged 10.3 and three rebounds over three games against the Celtics.

Towns is the newest Knick and will look to make an impact with his new team. Significantly, he averaged 21.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game last season for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Towns also shot 50.4 percent from the floor, including 41.6 percent from beyond the arc. Therefore, expect him to be a focal part of this offense as he joins his new team.

The Knicks hope this trade works out as well as it did when they traded for Jalen Brunson. Amazingly, he continued his ascent and averaged 28.7 points per game while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor. Bridges was the other addition that has somehow gone on the backburner since Towns arrived. Yet, he also had a great season, averaging 19.6 points per game while shooting 43.6 percent from the hardwood. Anunoby will be another key player for the Knicks after averaging 10.7 points per game for the Brooklyn Nets. Meanwhile, Josh Hart will bounce in and out of the starting lineup after averaging 9.4 points per game.

The Knicks hope to utilize Towns as their man on the boards. Moreover, Bridges will be the key player on defense who prevents other top scorers from going off. Bridges likely will draw Jayson Tatum as his assignment.

The Knicks will cover the spread if they can win the board battle while also converting their shooting chances. Then, they must prevent Tatum and the Boston offense from going off.

Why the Celtics Could Cover the Spread/Win

• Jayson Tatum has averaged 23 points and seven rebounds against the Knicks.
• Jaylen Brown has averaged 19.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game against the Knicks.
• Derrick White has averaged 11.8 points over 13 games against the Knicks.
• Al Horford has averaged 13.5 points and 8.1 rebounds over 52 games against the Knicks.

The Celtics look unbeatable and might have a great chance to repeat as champions. However, they will be without Kristaps Porzingis until at least Christmas Day. To compensate for it, the Celtics will rotate players at the center, sometimes using a small-ball lineup with Tatum in the middle. Tatum averaged 26.9 points per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the floor. Meanwhile, Brown will be his second-in-command after averaging 23 points per game while shooting 49.9 percent from the floor.

White must hit his shots. Ultimately, he averaged 15.2 points per game while shooting 46.1 percent from the floor, including 39.1 percent from beyond the arc. Jrue Holiday is day-to-day with a minor injury. The Celtics have some depth at guard, which is good. Yet, they may need to make a small-ball lineup to get over, especially when going against Towns.

The Celtics will cover the spread if they can hit their shots and avoid turning the basketball over. Moreover, they must prevent Brunson from burning them while also playing tight against Towns.

Final Knicks-Celtics Prediction & Pick

The Celtics went 4-1 against the Knicks last season. Ultimately, they went 2-1 at the TD Garden and 2-0 at Madison Square Garden. The Celtics are 6-4 over 10 games against the Knicks. Yet, the Knicks are 3-2 over five games against the TD Garden.

When the Knicks played the Celtics last season, they often struggled to keep up with them. However, the Knicks currently have more health than the Celtics and are looking to prove that they are the better team. If Porzingis was available, this game might be different. Consequently, he is out for a while, and the champions will struggle against great teams without him. The Knicks will be a great team with this roster.

Final Knicks-Celtics Prediction & Pick: New York Knicks: +5.5 (-110)

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