The Celtics and Knicks begin their second round series with Game 1 in Boston on Monday. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Boston is favored by nine points and this contest carries a total of 213 points.
Below, I break down Game 1 between the Celtics and the Knicks and give a pick for the game via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Celtics vs. Knicks preview, prediction
The Celtics and Knicks begin their anticipated first round series Monday in Boston. In the first round, the Celtics defeated the Magic in five games and two of those victories came by double-digits. Boston was without Jrue Holiday (hamstring) for the final three games of the series, but with the Celtics having nearly a week off after closing out Orlando last Tuesday, the veteran has been removed from the injury report and is ready to go for Game 1 vs. the Knicks, meaning the Celtics are at full strength. New York defeated the Pistons in six games in the first round, but it was a far more competitive series than the Celtics vs. Magic, as every game of the Knicks vs. Pistons series was decided by six points or less. New York closed out Detroit this past Thursday, so it has had less rest than Boston, but just like the defending champions, the Knicks are totally healthy heading into the second round and they have no injuries to report.
While the Knicks went out and traded for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns this past offseason in hopes of contending with the Celtics for the best team in the Eastern Conference, Boston dominated New York in the regular season. These two division rivals faced each other four times and the Celtics swept the Knicks 4-0. Boston won three of these games by double-digits and their point differential vs. the Knicks was +16.3. Jayson Tatum notably thrived against New York, averaging 33.5 points, 7.0 assists and 6.8 rebounds per game on 54% shooting. The lone Knick who was consistent against the Celtics was Jalen Brunson, who averaged 26.8 PPG in his four meetings with Boston. Towns was great in his final two meetings with the Celtics, scoring 24 and 34 points, but in the first two matchups, he was a shell of himself, scoring 12 and nine points.
The Knicks will need Towns to excel against the Celtics if they want any shot of stealing Game 1, but Boston has the exact tools to slow down the center, with Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford both being elite defensive big men. Thanks to these two players, the Celtics are giving up the second-fewest points in the NBA to centers this season.
Offensively, Boston’s calling card is its outside shooting and after dealing with a stout Magic defense in the first round, the Celtics should get back to their ways of being one of the best three-point shooting teams in the NBA against the Knicks. New York ranks 11th in defensive rating, compared to Orlando who ranks second, and the Knicks allowed their opponents to hit three-pointers at the fifth-highest rate in the league during the regular season, while the Celtics lead the NBA in three-pointers made per game. A rare off shooting night from Boston is needed for the Knicks to have a chance in Game 1, but with the Celtics well rested, at full strength and on their home floor, that is an unlikely outcome for New York.
Celtics vs. Knicks pick, best bet
The Celtics’ domination over the Knicks should continue in Game 1. Boston will have its starting lineup intact and with its first unit active over the last two seasons, the Celtics own an impressive 53-16 record. Another huge factor is that Boston hasn’t played in six days and when it has played with four days or more of rest in its favor this season, the Celtics are 4-0 and they covered in all four of those victories. While this -9 line seems long, backing Boston to cover this spread is a smart move for Game 1.
