Knicks vs. Celtics predictions, picks and injury report: Sunday, 3/5

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After Friday night’s performance, it is getting harder and harder to find anything bad to say about the New York Knicks as it looks like they will never lose. Everything has been going right for them as of late and prior to Friday, that could be said on most occasions for Boston this season. That is until they blew a 28-point lead against a previously struggling Brooklyn Nets team, but should we really hold that against the Celtics?

There is a lot to unpack ahead of Sunday’s game on both sides, and it truly can go in either direction, so what can we expect? Let’s dig into our Knicks vs. Celtics predictions with the odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.

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Things started off great for New York on Friday, but the Miami Heat got right back into the game before Julius Randle hit a last second three-pointer. It was the eighth straight victory for the Knicks, and they are also strong on the road this season with a record of 19-12. Everything is clicking for them, as Randle has turned back the clock to two years ago and Jalen Brunson continues to prove his worth as the best off-season addition.

For about half of Friday’s game it looked like we would be saying the same thing about Boston until the Nets woke up and shocked the Celtics on their home court. Despite the defeat, Boston is still 7-3 in their last 10 games and 25-8 in Boston so far this season. The last two times these teams met, the Knicks took care of business, although Boston was without Jaylen Brown in their latest game.

While Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson have been great, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown do have the edge in the superstar department. However, the gap is narrowing based on the sustained level of success we are seeing from each player. New York has gotten to the point where they can truly compete with anyone on both ends of the court.

Playing smart and hard is certainly important, but making plays and having a defensive identity is what will win ball games and the Knicks have found that. From a pace perspective, both teams play on the slower side (21st for Boston and 27th for New York) with both teams having success on the boards. For the Knicks, the return to health of Mitchell Robinson has certainly played dividends along with the addition of Josh Hart.

With this under consideration, the best bet from our Knicks vs. Celtics predictions is on New York as the underdog to cover the 5.5-point spread as we anticipate a close and tightly fought game.

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Things are quite easy here as a DraftKings bonus code will not be needed for you to essentially get 30/1 odds on the team of your choice. The Knicks are the underdogs tonight so you may want to choose a heavy favorite, but the choice is all yours. Whatever you decide, don’t miss out on 30/1 odds on any team andto join DraftKings today.

The good news for tonight is that both teams enter the game with their health at a top level, so we will see the best of what they have to offer. When these teams last faced each other, Jaylen Brown was out for personal reasons, but he will be back on the court tonight. While Boston is a deep team, that will be put to the test on Sunday with Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams sidelined. That means more of Derrick White and Grant Williams.

One of Boston’s biggest competitors this season is the Philadelphia 76ers, and that means a lot of focus will be on Joel Embiid. While Embiid is dealing with a foot injury that is being monitored, it certainly is not limiting his performance as he is averaging more than 30 points and 10 rebounds per game. He will likely be rested at times for the rest of the regular season, but there is nothing to worry about.

DraftKings Sportsbook. Boston -5.5 comes with -110 odds, while New York +5.5 is priced at the same -110 odds. That means an $11 wager on the Celtics will profit $10 as long as they win by at least six points, while the same $11 bet on the Knicks will profit $10 if they don’t lose by more than five points or pull off the upset.

The total (over/under) of 227.5 points is listed at -110 odds on both the over and under. Remember, if you stick with the money line, you could win $150 in bonus bets with a $5 bet after you join DraftKings.

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