Surging Knicks Seek Ninth Straight
The hottest team in the NBA is the New York Knicks, who haven’t lost a game in over three weeks. They’ll put their hot streak on the line against a Boston Celtics team itching to bounce back from an embarrassing collapse.
It’s a great matchup that offers some intriguing options for online gambling. We’ve got all your NBA picks, NBA lines, stats and injury reports for Knicks vs Celtics in addition to this NBA betting preview.
Randle, Knicks Climbing East Standings
The Knicks’ streak — their longest since a nine-gamer two seasons ago — has them 1½ games behind Cleveland in the race for the fourth seed in the East and homecourt advantage in a first-round matchup. The third-place Philadelphia 76ers are just games ahead of New York, one of the best stories right now in the NBA news cycle
Most of the victories during the eight-game run have been pretty comfortable. Friday’s triumph in Miami was anything but, as it required an off-balance 3-pointer on a busted play by Julius Randle to give New York the 122-120 win.
While the streak started with Mitchell Robinson sidelined with a fractured thumb, it’s continued as he has seamlessly returned with some outstanding play. Robinson made a huge defensive play to set up Randle’s shot in Miami and posted four straight double-doubles while making 21 of 22 shots in the previous four games, including a 15-point win over Boston in Madison Square Garden.
The dimension he provides underneath is transformative.
“It’s huge. He’s an elite defender,” coach Tom Thibodeau said of Robinson. “The rim protection is tremendous. His pick-and-roll defense is very, very good. And offensively what he gives us is pressure on the rim. He gets out of screens quick. He’s going to finish everything around the basket. … I think he’s the best offensive rebounder in the league.”
New York ranks third in the NBA in opponents’ field-goal percentage (45.5) and fourth in offensive rebounds per game (12.6) in large part due to Robinson’s presence.
Boston Booed off Court
It’s hard to imagine a team that has played as well as the Celtics this season getting booed off the court by their fans. But it’s hard to blame those supporters after they saw their team lose a 28-point lead to a struggling Brooklyn Nets squad on a Friday night at TD Garden.
It was the largest comeback win of the season in the NBA and sent Boston back to the drawing board.
“They beat us in every analytical category possible,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said after the 115-105 loss. “If we don’t commit to the margins, no matter how hard we play, we’re not going to win.”
Jayson Tatum missed all seven of his 3-point tries on Friday (his 25th birthday), two games after going 1-for-9 at Madison Square Garden on a night that saw him get ejected for the first time in his career.
It’s all part of a choppy stretch for the Celtics, who play seven of their next eight on the road after the Knicks leave town.
Knicks vs Celtics Game Injuries
Knicks vs Celtics Head-to-Head
New York has taken two of three meetings. With a win Sunday the Knicks clinch the season series for the second time in three years.
Knicks vs Celtics Game Information
- Game: Knicks (38-27) vs Celtics (45-19)
- Location: TD Garden, Boston, MA
- Day/Time: Sunday, March 5, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Knicks vs Celtics Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Knicks vs Celtics Betting Lines
Knicks vs Celtics Picks & Prediction
New York is among the best teams against the spread this season and better on the road, posting an NBA-best 21-10 mark in those situations. We know Boston will come out angry, inspired and motivated, but the Knicks are clicking on all cylinders and they’ll at least keep it close.
Take the points and lean on New York to put forth another good effort. Expect a physical game, too, and take the under with your bet online.
New York is listed at +200 in our Vegas NBA lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Knicks, you have a chance to win $200. Boston is -240, offering a chance to win $42 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives New York a 33.33% chance to win, with the Celtics at 70.59%.
Knicks vs Celtics Trends
Knicks vs Celtics Edge
Knicks vs Celtics Results
Knicks vs Celtics Game Summary
Celtics vs Knicks Previous Game (Feb. 27, 2023)
After five consecutive wins, the New York Knicks are cutting into the Boston Celtics’ lead in the Atlantic Division.
They meet on Monday in an important game between Eastern Conference rivals that could meet in the first round of the playoffs.
It’s 1-1 so far, which is why NBA betting markets have framed a close game.
