The Celtics and Knicks continue their second round series with Game 2 in Boston on Wednesday. In an overtime thriller, the Knicks beat the Celtics in Game 1 and hold a 1-0 series lead. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Boston is favored by 10.5 points for Game 2 and this contest carries a total of 210.5 points.
Below, I break down Game 2 between the Celtics and the Knicks and give a pick for the game via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Celtics vs. Knicks preview, prediction
The Knicks went into Boston on Monday and shocked the Celtics, erasing a 20-point deficit and beating this defending champion Boston club in overtime. Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby both were sensational with 29 points apiece, and both players made some incredibly clutch shots down the stretch. Josh Hart posted a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds, and while Mikal Bridges struggled as a scorer with only eight points, he hit a huge three pointer in overtime and he racked up three steals and two blocks. That included the game-winning steal on Jaylen Brown. Karl-Anthony Towns also posted a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds, but he has now scored 14 points or less in three of his five matchups with Boston this season.
In the heartbreaking loss for the Celtics in Game 1, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both scored 23 points and the former was huge on the glass with 16 rebounds. Derrick White was also excellent with a 19-point 11-rebound double-double and Jrue Holiday finished with 16 points, six rebounds and three assists, including some key late plays that kept the Celtics alive. Kristaps Porzingis, however, went scoreless and exited the game with an illness after only 13 minutes. As a whole, Boston shot a poor 35.1% from the field and a very ugly 25% on three pointers. The Celtics missed a whopping 45 three pointers, which is an NBA playoff record. Boston lives and dies by the three-pointer, and the Celtics being this ineffective in this department is what costed them Game 1.
Boston shooting this poorly from deep again is one of the Knicks only hopes of winning Game 2, but unfortunately for them, this very unlikely. The Celtics shooting dreadful from beyond the arc in Game 1 wasn’t a product of New York playing good defense, but simply an outlier ugly performance from Boston. Via NBA.com, 56 of the Celtics’ 60 three point attempts were considered open or wide open with a defender at least 4+ feet away.
Boston leads the NBA in made three pointers per game and they hit a whopping 1,457 three pointers in the regular season, which set the NBA record by 94 three pointers. This Celtics club is one of, if not the, greatest outside shooting of all time and they should bounce back in a huge way shooting wise in Game 2. Porzingis also is probable to play and should be more effective than his no-show performance in Game 1. Before this forgettable showing, Porzingis was averaging 24.5 PPG against the Knicks this season (two games). The big performing well would be very bad news for New York, but even if Porzingis isn’t up to par, Boston is very accustomed to winning with the center limited or inactive. With Porzingis out the last two seasons, the Celtics are an incredible 62-15.
Celtics vs. Knicks pick, best bet
The Celtics gave Game 1 away and they should rebound in Game 2 with a convincing win. This season, Boston has easily been the best team in the NBA when coming off a loss, with a 20-2 record and an impressive 19.1-point margin of victory. The Celtics are a league-best 18-2 ATS after a defeat, while the Knicks are a mediocre 26-28-1 ATS after a win. Furthermore, Boston is 4-1 against New York this season.
The Celtics opened as a 9.5-point favorite for Game 2 and with most of the initial money backing this number, Boston is now a 10.5-point favorite. They are a still a terrific bet to cover this line and betting on this number quick is wise, as the line could keep moving in the Celtics favor before tipoff.
