Eastern Conference foes get together in Boston. Both have 0-1 records. The Celtics blew a 22-point lead against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday; the Knicks fell to the Philadelphia 76ers on Champions Night at Madison Square Garden.
Someone is going to be 0-2. Paul George, one of the new Celtics, was impressive in his debut with 38 points. It almost offset Jayson Tatum going 6-for-23, including 0-for-7 from 3. The Knicks had a poor shooting night, hitting 37% of their shots overall in the loss to Philly.
The Knicks are basically the same team that won the championship. The Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to Philly. George is counted on to make up for his absence.
NBA odds will be intriguing here as the Celtics are having their home opener. The Knicks won three of four from Boston last season. The wins were by 10, 6, and 22 points. Boston won the final meeting by six points. Only one of the games was high-scoring.
New York Knicks vs Boston Celtics Game Details
- Game: Thursday, October 23, 2026
- Tip-off: 7 p.m. EST
- Venue: TD Garden
- Broadcast: Prime Video
- 2025-26 records: Knicks 53-29; Celtics 56-26
Spread Analysis
NBA lines will take into account the Boston home-court advantage for sure. The Celtics looked strong in rolling to a 72-50 lead against Detroit. They were outscored 71-41 the rest of the way. That’s not a good look in any game, let alone a season opener.
Take it into account when contemplating the spread here. The Knicks had a big ring ceremony before their opener and hung tough with the 76ers but didn’t have what it takes late. Don’t be too harsh on them, as the emotions of the night had to be draining.
Total Betting Trends
Look for the Knicks to keep the Celtics’ offense in check. They allowed 106 points to a high-powered 76ers team. The Celtics, on the other hand, allowed 76 points to the Pistons in the second half after limiting Detroit to 45 in the first half. If the Knicks get rolling as Detroit did, this one could see them put a hefty amount of points up while limiting Boston.
