Celtics vs Knicks Prediction, Odds & Picks (Saturday, Feb. 24)
Two of the league’s top scorers battle Saturday night when Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks host Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics. This anticipated NBA game is scheduled for 8:30 PM ET at Madison Square Garden, with ABC carrying the broadcast.
In the Saturday NBA odds, sportsbooks are favoring the Celtics on the road. BetMGM has set the Celtics vs Knicks betting line at Boston -6.5 while offering the over/under for total points at 224.5.
Let’s dive into the Celtics vs Knicks odds, as we provide our prediction for Saturday night basketball.
Celtics vs Knicks Odds
In the Saturday NBA odds, Boston is a heavy -250 road favorite at BetMGM, giving them an implied win probability of 71%.
Odds as of Saturday, February 24, at BetMGM Sportsbook. Register with the BetMGM sign-up promo to wager on Celtics vs Knicks.
Celtics vs Knicks History
The Celtics and Knicks have faced off six times since the calendar flipped to 2023, with each team winning three meetings. Boston has dominated the rivalry of late, however, winning the first three matchups of the 2023-24 season, covering the spread in the two most recent games.
BOS-NY Recent Results
While New York typically has a solid home-court advantage playing at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks are only 6-12 in their past 18 home games against Boston. The “under” has also cashed in each of the past two meetings between the clubs at MSG.
Celtics Betting Trends
The Celtics are riding a 7-game winning streak after beating the Chicago Bulls 129-112 in their last outing. Boston had strong offensive showings from Derrick White (28 points), Jayson Tatum (25 points), and Jaylen Brown (21 points). The Celtics dominated from three-point range, knocking down 23 of 47 attempts (48.9%).
Tatum and Brown form one of the best duos in the NBA and are very difficult to defend. Tatum is averaging 27.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Meanwhile, Brown (SG) is putting up 22.0 points per game to go along with 5.5 rebounds, shooting 49.4% from the floor.
Derrick White is an excellent two-way guard averaging 15.8 points and 4.8 assists. He’s hitting 37.3% of his threes. His efficiency from the three-point line is part of the reason the Celtics have the fourth-best 3P% in the entire NBA.
Boston’s play on the road has also been crucial to the team’s success this season, as the Celtics are 18-9 away from TD Garden in 2023-24. This has led to a current NBA betting trend of Boston covering the spread in six of their past seven road contests.
Knicks Betting Trends
The Knicks snapped a 4-game skid by taking down the Philadelphia 76ers 110-96 in their previous matchup. New York got key contributions from Bojan Bogdanovic (22 points), Josh Hart (18 points, 12 rebounds), and Precious Achiuwa (18 points, 11 rebounds). The Knicks were solid from deep as well, hitting 15 of 34 three-point shots (44.1%).
The Knicks are led by point guard Jalen Brunson, who has been nothing short of stellar since signing with the club in the 2022 offseason, averaging 27.5 points and 6.6 assists per game, which leads the team in scoring.
New York has covered the spread in just one of their last seven games, with the “under” cashing in 12 of New York’s last 15 games at home. That’s something to consider before betting the over in the Saturday NBA odds.
Julius Randle is the team’s second-leading scorer at 24.0 points per contest to go with 9.2 rebounds, however, he is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury. RJ Barrett (SG/SF), meanwhile, was a key contributor this season before being traded to his hometown of Toronto back in December.
Celtics vs Knicks Prediction
The Celtics come into this matchup playing exceptional basketball with the NBA’s best record. Their offense has been clicking on all cylinders, averaging 120.8 points per game – the 5th best in the league. Boston is also elite defensively, giving up just 110.6 points per contest – the 5th fewest allowed.
While the Knicks have played well at home (19-8 record at MSG), they are dealing with several key injuries. Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and OG Anunoby remain sidelined. New York’s success will hinge on the play of Jalen Brunson, who continues to have an All-Star-caliber season in his second year with the team.
However, the Celtics simply have too much firepower led by their star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Boston’s three-point shooting prowess provides a matchup problem for New York. Back the hot Celtics to continue their winning ways on the road.
- Celtics -6.5 (-105)
- Under 224.5 Points (-110)
