Knicks vs Celtics Picks and Predictions: Celtics Keep Their Heads Above Water

The current tide of pandemic effects tearing through the NBA has taken attention away from a usual focus this time of year, the trade market. Neither the Celtics nor the Knicks are enjoying the seasons they expected, and a roster change may be in order for one or both of them. In a game that could flip who is in the last Eastern Conference playoff spot, those optics could have tangible effects on these rosters.

Don’t look at tonight as a meaningless mid-December game. Look at it as a possible harbinger of changes to come.

Here are our free NBA picks and predictions for the Knicks at the Celtics on Saturday, December 18.

Knicks vs Celtics odds

Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.

This line opened Friday night with the Celtics favored by 4.5 points, and other than bouncing to -5.0 for moments Saturday morning, it has remained steady at -4.5. The total opened at 210.5 and fell to 209.0.

Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until tip-off and be sure to check out the full NBA odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.

Knicks vs Celtics predictions

• Prediction: Celtics -4.5 (-110)
• Prediction: Under 209.0 (-110)
• Best bet: Celtics -4.5 (-110)

Predictions made on 12/18/2021 at 12:35 p.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.

Knicks vs Celtics game info

• Location: TD Garden, Boston, MA
• Date: Saturday, December 18, 2021
• Tip-off: 7:00 p.m. ET
• TV: NBCS-BOS, MSG

Knicks vs Celtics betting preview

Injuries

Knicks: TMiles McBride PG (Out), Immanuel Quickley SG (Out), Kevin Knox SF (Out), Quentin Grimes SG (Out), RJ Barrett SF (Out), Obi Toppin PF (Out), Derrick Rose PG (Questionable).
Celtics: Juancho Hernangomez PF (Out), Grant Williams PF (Out), Al Horford C (Out), Jabari Parker PF (Out), Dennis Schroder PG (Questionable), Bruno Fernando PF (Questionable).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.

Betting trend to know

The Knicks are 0-5 ATS in their last five games as an underdog, all coming this month. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Celtics.

Knicks vs Celtics picks and predictions

Our predictions are compiled from the analysis of the spread and total and are indications of where we are leaning for this game.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this game, which we would actually put some of our bankroll behind.

Spread analysis

Of the six Knicks who average at least 20 minutes per game and have a usage rate of more than 20%, two (Barrett, Quickley) are currently in the NBA’s health and safety protocols, one (Rose) is battling a nagging ankle injury, one (Kemba Walker) has not played in three weeks due to general ineffectiveness. That leaves forward Julius Randle and guard Evan Fournier handling an undue and unreasonable amount of the offense.

Comparatively, the Celtics have only three players who fit those parameters, and only Schroder is possibly out at the moment. Forwards Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown may not be having the seasons many hoped for, but they are still both scoring more than 20 points per game and can maintain the otherwise balanced Boston offense while Schroder tests back into competition.

Continuity is suddenly more crucial than ever in the NBA, and one of these two teams can rely on it.

Prediction: Celtics -4.5 (-110)

Over/Under analysis

Nobody in the NBA should be racing right now, not that Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks usually do. He is Tom Thibodeau, after all. In their last 10 games, the Knicks have averaged 105.1 points per game, while the Celtics have averaged 108.7. That latter number includes a two-game trip out west that featured Boston scoring 275 points in two games. Remove those, and the Celtics have averaged 101.5 points in those other eight games.

And most of those numbers came before the current roster crunches.

Expect the league as a whole to slow down these next two weeks. That is not a suggestion that games will be postponed. Rather, as replacement players are sought and others lose conditioning coming out of protocols, coaches like Thibodeau will have all the reason in the world to double down on their usual preferences.

Prediction: Under 209.0 (-110)

Best bet

The best two players on the court tonight wear shamrocks. With all the respect in the world for what Randle is capable of, that edge alone should be worth a couple of baskets.

Now let’s just hope all three of those players can stay out of protocols long enough to play tonight.

Pick: Celtics -4.5 (-110)

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