The NBA-champion Celtics and the division-rival Knicks will tip off their second-round playoff series in Boston on Monday. The action has been scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. ET at TD Garden, with the reigning champs opening as heavy betting favorites on BetMGM.
The Sporting News will bring you the latest NBA odds for this marquee matchup, and also handpick the best bets for the evening. We'll dish out our final score prediction, as well as the optimal spread, over/under and player prop wagers.
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NBA fans witnessed the Pacers win Game 1 of their series against the Cavs on Sunday, despite Indy entering as +7.5 road underdogs. Can Jalen Brunson and New York do the same in Boston on Monday? Or, will Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Celts hold court?
Here's our betting preview for Game 1 of the Celtics vs. Knicks series, including the odds, our game pick and the top player props.
Celtics vs. Knicks Game 1: Spread, moneyline, over/under
All odds and props are from BetMGM, an authorized gaming operator of the NBA.
- ATS: Celtics -9.5 (-105) | Knicks +9.5 (-115)
- Moneyline: Celtics -400 | Knicks +300
- Over/under: O 212.5 (-110) | U 212.5 (-110)
New York enters as a 9.5-point road underdog despite winning all three of its away games vs. Detroit in the first round. The Knicks have now gone 27-17 on the road since the start of the 2024-25 season.
The Celtics, however, have gone 31-13 at home during that same span. Boston has also won four straight meetings with New York, and eight of the past nine since the 2023-24 season.
Celtics vs. Knicks Game 1 best bets and final score prediction
The Celtics just gentlemen-swept the Magic, and they enter this series with a two-day rest advantage over the Knicks. Boston has also had New York's number for the vast majority of the past two seasons, going 8-1 against Jalen Brunson and company during that span. It's easy to see why sportsbooks love the defending champs this evening.
The Celtics scored between 107 and 120 points in three of their last four first-round games against Orlando, a fairly-good defense. They also held the Magic to 100 or fewer points in all five games. That has to be an intimidating couple of stats for Tom Thibodeau's Knicks to know going into this series.
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New York emerged victorious vs. Detroit, but it looked inconsistent and downright sloppy at many points. The Pistons held the Knicks to 94 points in two games, and Thibs' squad let Detroit score 112 or more three different times. This best-of-seven won't last long if New York can't improve its game-to-game execution substantially.
The Celtics have more scorers, more depth, better defense and home-court advantage. They also have a rest advantage, and (somehow) every player is available for Game 1. Resting Jrue Holiday in the first round to ensure he's ready for the wing-dominant Knicks might prove to be a crucial chess move by Celts coach Joe Mazzulla and his staff.
That all said, 10 points sure seems like a steep price to pay for a Game 1 favorite, especially one that hasn't played in nearly a week. Plenty of variables could jeopardize this cover, including rust, early-series jitters, and even potential garbage time.
Boston beat this Knicks squad by double-digits the first three times they faced off this season, but by just two in overtime the last time they met (April 8). We're going with the Green by six in this one, playing it safe and opting instead for either an alt-bet parlay or value on the prop market.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Celtics 109, Knicks 103 — Boston wins but New York covers (+9.5), while the score goes just UNDER the projected total of 212.5.
Don't want to sweat out the spread or over/under? For less juice, you could run a -102 alt-bet mini-parlay on BetMGM with two legs: Celtics -2.5 and OVER 206.5. Smells like value to us!
Celtics vs. Knicks Game 1 top player prop bets
Jalen Brunson, G, Knicks: UNDER 27.5 points (-115)
Brunson played the role of Knicks hero with his ankle-breaking move and dagger three vs. the Pistons in the opening-round clincher on Thursday. He should come back to Earth in a major way in this game, with Jrue Holiday and Derrick White both healthy and active.
Brunson missed this OVER in three of the Knicks' four games vs. the Celtics this season. He maxed out at 22 points in two of them, and most recently needed OT to even get to 27. Boston threw a bevy of capable perimeter defenders at him throughout the year — even Jaylen Brown.
The one game vs. Boston in which the Brunson Burner really got hot and surpassed 27 points was the one Knicks-Celts game that Holiday missed this year. The Knicks' franchise player is public enemy No. 1 for Mazzulla's squad tonight — expect the green team to keep him largely in check.
Other player props/prop parlays worth consideration:
- *KAT prop parlay*
Karl-Anthony Towns, F/C, Knicks: 20+ points, 10+ rebounds and 1+ three-pointer (+120) - *PRA White-out*
Derrick White, G, Celtics: OVER 24.5 points + rebounds + assists (-115) - *Mini-parlay — Role reversal*
Kristaps Porzingis, C, Celtics: 2+ three-pointers and White 1+ block (-102)
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