New York Knicks (51-31) vs Boston Celtics (61-21)
Game Info: Monday, May 12, 2025 at 7:30 pm (Madison Square Garden)
The Line: Betting Odds: New York Knicks +6.5 — Over/Under: 208.5
The Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks collide in a pivotal Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. Here’s a Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks Prediction. This article will include a Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks Pick.
Boston Celtics Betting Preview
The Boston Celtics will be hoping to square up the series after finally taking a stand with a 115-93 road win over the Knicks in Game 3 on Saturday. Payton Pritchard led the team in scoring with 23 points on eight of 16 shooting off the bench, Jayson Tatum added 22 points with nine rebounds and seven assists, Jaylen Brown scored 19 points while Derrick White chipped in with 17 points.
As a team, the Celtics shot 48 percent from the field and 20 of 40 from the 3-point line as they stormed out of the gates and dominated the first half by 71-46. This allowed them to cruise in the second half unchallenged after leading by as many as 31 points at one stage. Al Horford had a decent game with 15 points with nine rebounds in a starting role as Kristaps Porzingis finished with just five points on zero of five shooting off the bench.
New York Knicks Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks were brimming with confidence after winning the first two games of the series, but they fell back down to Earth with a blowout defeat in Game 3 on Saturday. Jalen Brunson led the team with 27 points and seven assists, Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points with 15 rebounds while Mikal Bridges chipped in with 12 points, but no other player scored more than 10 points.
As a team, the Knicks shot just 40 percent from the field and five of 25 from the 3-point line as they struggled to match the intensity of the Celtics from the jump. They quickly found themselves in deep trouble after falling behind by 25 points going into halftime. The Knicks put up a better fight in the second half, but there was no comeback on this occasion as the Knicks could never get out of second gear.
Why the New York Knicks will win
- The Knicks have won each of their last seven home games following a home loss.
- The Celtics have lost five of their last seven Eastern Conference Semifinals games as favorites against Atlantic Division opponents following a win.
- The Celtics have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last eight playoff games as road favorites following a win.
- The Knicks have covered the spread in each of their last six Monday games as underdogs.
Why the Boston Celtics will win
- The road team has won each of the Knicks’ last eight playoff games.
- The Knicks have lost 20 of their last 21 games as home underdogs against Atlantic Division opponents following a loss.
- The road team has covered the spread in each of the Knicks’ last six playoff games.
- The Knicks have failed to cover the spread in nine of their last 11 home games against teams that held a winning record.
New York Knicks Player Facts
- Miles McBride ranks 4th amongst qualified players for assist:turnover ratio (4.6) this season.
- Jalen Brunson ranks 8th amongst qualified players for points per game (26.0) this season.
Boston Celtics Player Facts
- Derrick White ranks 7th amongst qualified players for three-pointers made Per Game (3.5) this season.
- Kristaps Porzingis ranks 3rd amongst qualified Centers for three-pointers made Per Game (2.5) this season.
Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks Prediction
The Celtics are still slightly shorthanded with Sam Hauser still ruled out, while the Knicks are coming in with a full squad once again. The Celtics needed to respond after dropping the first two games at home, but they will be feeling much better after bouncing back with a dominant win on the road in Game 3. The Celtics rediscovered their touch from the 3-point line where they connected on 20 of 40 attempts, and they are going to be too tough to beat if they can replicate those numbers.
The Knicks were somewhat lucky to run down massive leads in the first two games, but they looked outmatched in Game 3 against a Celtics team who were playing like their season was on the line. The Knicks are 6-3 ATS in their nine games in these playoffs, while the Celtics are 4-4 ATS so far. The Knicks are capable of pulling off the upset here, but they’re going to need a monster game from Brunson and plenty of support from Towns and Anunoby. The Celtics have fallen in love with the 3-point shot this season, and that could be their downfall if they get off to a slow start. But considering what is at stake, I think the Celtics come out swinging and earn the narrow win and cover on the road in this spot.