The New York Knicks hold a strong 2-0 series lead over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals ahead of today’s Game 3. With the series now heading to the Knicks’ home court at Madison Square Garden, the Celtics’ situation looks increasingly dire if they can’t pull off a win this afternoon. Can New York escape with more last-second heroics in their own place, or will Boston steal a game on the road to keep the series competitive?
With tip-off just a couple of hours away at 3:30 p.m. EST, here’s a Knicks vs. Celtics prediction and pick for Game 3.
Knicks vs. Celtics prediction, pick
Knicks vs. Celtics prediction
We’ve got to have a conversation about Jayson Tatum. The Celtics star’s playoff struggles are documented, but the pendulum may have swung too far. Despite his inefficient shooting splits of 39.4% from the field and 32.1% from three, the All-NBA forward still averages 26.8 points per game through his six-contest sample this postseason. It’s not necessarily that Tatum’s collapsing with the lights on him — more so, the Knicks are defending him well to start this series.
Eventually Tatum will figure out how to beat the defensive coverages Tom Thibodeau throws at him. Make no mistake, though. The pressure is certainly on JT to have a big game today.
Even if he doesn’t it’s unlikely the Celtics keep shooting as poorly as they did in Game 1 and Game 2. The team takes more three-pointers than any other squad, but only hit at a 25% clip in both games to begin the series. With some positive regression there, the remainder of this best-of-seven could lean in their favor.
Plus, the Knicks have survived on game-altering plays in the final seconds thus far, but whether they’ll be able to keep making those highlight moments happen remains to be seen. Jalen Brunson is playing great ball, but while Karl-Anthony Towns is hitting the boards as always, he’s not scoring like usual. If KAT comes around on offense, the Knicks should be able to remain in the mix even if the Celtics’ shooting percentage from deep improves. Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby also take turns putting up 20-plus point outings, but New York needs two of their stars clicking at any given time against a formidable opponent.
Knicks vs. Celtics pick
The Celtics don’t look like themselves right now, but how long will that last? There’s no way of knowing when the team regains their championship-caliber form, but it feels as though they’ll snap back to their usual selves at some point, even if Kristaps Porzingis remains an unreliable contributor as he battles lingering effects of an illness.
Still, the Knicks are energized with a 2-0 lead and the same goes for their rabid fanbase. Madison Square Garden will be rocking on Saturday afternoon, no doubt about it. The home atmosphere should provide an advantage as they look to keep their momentum rolling.
A New York upset to take a 3-0 series lead would create plenty of interesting storylines. While they very well may take this series, banking on the Knicks to win a third consecutive matchup against this Boston team doesn’t feel like a smart move. We’re scrapping Moneyline picks in this one, but taking the Knicks to cover the +5.5 spread works as a top pick for this outing. These games have been very competitive — expect that trend to continue today,
