Celtics vs. Knicks Picks and Prediction – 5/10/2025

Boston Celtics (0-2) vs. New York Knicks (2-0)
Time: 3:30 PM ET
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
TV: ABC

Previous Games:

  • Game 1: Knicks 101, Celtics 97

  • Game 2: Knicks 91, Celtics 90 – NY rallied from 20 down

Head-to-Head:

New York has shocked Boston by winning both games at TD Garden, taking a 2-0 series lead. Despite being underdogs in each, the Knicks have outperformed late in games, outscoring Boston by a combined 57–37 in the two fourth quarters. The Celtics' offense has looked flat and has struggled from beyond the arc.

Boston Celtics Breakdown:

Boston has been cold offensively, especially from long range — 25% from three (25/100) through two games. Injuries and inefficiency are piling up: Jaylen Brown appears slowed by a knee issue, Jayson Tatum is shooting 29.5%, and Kristaps Porzingis is not fully healthy. Boston still boasts the second-best defense in the playoffs (100.7 defensive rating), but their elite road record from the regular season (33-8) hasn’t translated yet to this series.

Key Players:

  • Jayson Tatum: 17.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG (last 10 games)

  • Derrick White: Shooting 34.2% from three, scoring 14.6 PPG

  • Jrue Holiday: 10.8 PPG, 5.3 APG

New York Knicks Breakdown:

The Knicks are thriving on energy, toughness, and clutch play. Their fourth-quarter defense has been suffocating, and they're averaging over 9 steals per game in the playoffs. Josh Hart has stepped up as a glue guy, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges have come alive in key stretches. The Knicks are feeding off the MSG crowd and have covered the spread in 7 of their last 10.

Key Players:

  • Josh Hart: 23 points on 67% shooting in Game 2

  • KAT: 21 PTS, 17 REB in Game 2; 9.0 RPG in playoffs

  • Jalen Brunson: 26.2 PPG, 6.3 APG (last 10 games)

Betting Trends:

Boston Celtics:

  • 6-4 SU in their last 10 games

  • 4-6 ATS in last 10 games

  • 14-6 ATS in last 20 games as a favorite of -5.5

New York Knicks:

  • 7-3 SU in their last 10 games

  • 7-3 ATS in their last 10

  • 3-1 SU in their last 4 home games vs. Boston

Exact Score Prediction:

New York Knicks 107 – Boston Celtics 102

Our Best Bet:

New York Knicks +5.5 (-110)

Boston is the more talented team on paper, but the Knicks have all the momentum, the home-court edge, and have clearly figured something out defensively in crunch time. The Celtics are struggling with efficiency and health, and their 3-point slump has made it hard to stretch leads. New York has covered in both games as a dog and is thriving in physical, low-scoring matchups. Expect this game to stay close — take the Knicks to cover and possibly win outright.

Want access to our premium picks? Click here for a FREE 1 day trial

Back to blog