The Celtics and Knicks face off for the fourth time this season, and the 2024-25 series has been anything but competitive. Playoff seeding is essentially set, but the Knicks will be playing for pride tonight as they look to avoid a season sweep and get a win against the C’s.
My Celtics vs. Knicks predictions expect New York to emerge victorious at home thanks to some help from Karl-Anthony Towns down low, but my NBA picks are most keen on Derrick White cashing a juicy combo prop Over.
Celtics vs Knicks prediction
My best bet: Derrick White Over 23.5 points + rebounds + assists (-115 at bet365)
My analysis
The Boston Celtics list Kristaps Porzingis, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum as questionable tonight, and Al Horford as out.
The C’s sit four games back of the Cavaliers for the top seed in the East, and they would need to win out and have Cleveland lose out to secure the top spot. Boston is eight games up on the New York Knicks, which means the lowest the Celtics can finish is second, and getting the top seed is unrealistic.
The team won’t be incentivized to play its stars tonight.
With the roster potentially depleted, Derrick White could be in line for big minutes and big usage. A normal day at the office would be enough for him to cash the Over here, as he’s averaging 16.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists, good for 25.6 PRA.
Fortunately for bettors, White has been even better than that since the All-Star break. He averaged 24.6 PRA pre-break and 27.6 post-break. That includes a 26.8 PRA average across his last 10 road games, in which he hit the Over nine times.
White has hit the Over on this line in 51 of 74 games this season, so I’d expect the odds to be much shorter. We’re getting this prop at a steep discount. White has gone for at least 24 PRA in eight straight and 12 of his last 13.
The matchup with New York is one that White has been quite productive in this season, averaging 30 PRA across three matchups and hitting the Over in each of them. He’s finished with at least 24 PRA in nine of 14 matchups against Atlantic Division opponents.
Recent play, increased opportunity, and a mispriced line converge to make this prop ultra-appealing. Hammer the Over.
Celtics vs Knicks same-game parlay
Derrick White Over 23.5 points + rebounds + assists
Knicks -1.5
Karl-Anthony Towns Over 11.5 rebounds
Boston has been phenomenal on the road this season with a 32-7 record, but New York has been great at home, winning 27 of 39 at MSG. With all of Brown, Tatum, Porzingis and Horford banged up or out, the Celtics will have a tough time competing with a Knicks team that just brought back Jalen Brunson.
The Knicks can’t catch the Celtics for the No. 2 seed, but they’re not quite out of the woods to secure the No. 3 seed, as they sit just three games up on Indy with four games to play. I’m taking the healthier and more motivated team to win at home and cover a two-point spread. The odds on New York winning outright are -125, but taking the Knicks to cover by one bucket yields more profitable -110 odds.
Karl-Anthony Towns’ rebound prop comes in at +105 odds, which are juicy considering he’s averaged just a hair under 13 per game this season. KAT has corralled just 11.9 boards across his last eight, but he’s hit the Over on this line four times and come down with exactly 11 rebounds three more times.
In his lone game against the Celtics in which he played at least 30 minutes, he grabbed 18 rebounds.
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Celtics vs Knicks odds
Celtics vs Knicks live odds
Celtics vs Knicks opening odds
- Spread: Boston +1 (-110) | New York -1 (-110)
- Moneyline: Boston +100 | New York -120
- Over/Under: Over 222 (-110) | Under 222 (-110)
Odds courtesy of bet365.
Celtics vs Knicks spread and Over/Under analysis
- The Celtics and Knicks have each covered in seven of their last 10 games.
- Boston and New York are a combined 7-12-1 to the Under across their last 20 games.
- Covers Consensus data shows 60% of spread picks on the Celtics, and 56% on the Over.
Celtics vs Knicks trend
The Celtics have hit the team total Under in 57 of their last 84 games (+26.50 Units / 28% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Celtics vs. Knicks.
How to watch Celtics vs Knicks
| Location | Madison Square Garden, New York, NY |
| Date | Tuesday, 4-8-2025 |
| Tip-off | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | TNT, truTV, MAX |
Celtics vs Knicks latest injuries
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