Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks Betting Pick & Prediction 2/8/25
At 8:30 ET, the 2nd place Boston Celtics (-139) will take on the 3rd place New York Knicks (+117) at Madison Square Garden. The Celtics are currently 36-16, while the Knicks are 34-17. The over/under line for this game is currently set at 232 points.
This game will be televised on ABC.
BOSTON CELTICS VS NEW YORK KNICKS BETTING PICK
The Pick: New York Knicks +2.5
This game will be played at Madison Square Garden at 8:30 ET on Saturday, February 8th.
WHY BET THE NEW YORK KNICKS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 133-124 in favor of the Knicks.
- Our projections have Jalen Brunson finishing with 28 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists.
- From the field, we have the Knicks finishing with a field goal percentage of 49.0% and knocking down 15 threes.
Will Boston Shock Everyone at Madison Square Garden?
The Celtics dropped to 36-16 on the season after a 127-120 loss to the Mavericks on Thursday. Boston, who were -12.5 point favorites at home, not only lost but failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 247 exceeded the O/U line of 232 by 15 points.
Dallas took control early with an 11-0 run, stretching the score from 29-23 to 34-29. Boston fell behind 104-83 going into the 4th quarter but rallied to outscore the Mavericks 37-23 in the final period.
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 25 points in their 127-120 loss to the Mavericks, shooting 56.2% from the field and hitting 3 threes at a 75% clip. Payton Pritchard added 21 points, 16 of which came in the 4th quarter, and connected on 3 threes despite shooting just 33.3% from deep.
As a team, the Celtics shot 51.7% from the field and 43.2% from beyond the arc, making 16 threes in the game. Kristaps Porzingis and Jayson Tatum each contributed 17 points, with Porzingis also grabbing 5 rebounds.
The Celtics struggled defensively against the Mavericks, giving up 127 points on 55% shooting. Boston allowed 32 points in the 1st quarter, 35 in the 2nd, and 37 in the 3rd before tightening up in the 4th, where they allowed just 23 points.
Boston did manage to limit Dallas to 15 made threes, but the Mavericks still shot 45% from beyond the arc. The Celtics sent Dallas to the line 18 times, where they made 14 free throws. Boston recorded 29 defensive rebounds, allowed 8 offensive boards, and finished with 2 steals and 6 blocks.
Can New York Secure a Home Victory?
The Knicks improved to 34-17 on the season with a 121-115 win over the Raptors on Tuesday. New York, favored by 5.5 points, covered the spread with the victory. The game’s total points of 236 went over the pre-game line of 228.
A key 12-0 run helped the Knicks take control, turning a 59-51 deficit into a 63-59 lead. They dominated the 2nd quarter, outscoring Toronto 38-17, and entered the 4th quarter up 98-86 before holding off a late Raptors rally.
Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks to a win over the Raptors, with Brunson scoring 28 points and Towns adding 27 points and 20 rebounds. Brunson had 9 points in the 1st quarter, while Towns scored 11 in the 2nd.
The Knicks shot 50% from the field, but struggled from beyond the arc, making just 8 threes at 32% efficiency. Precious Achiuwa and Mikal Bridges each contributed 17 points, with Achiuwa shooting 63.6% from the field.
Despite allowing 115 points on 52% shooting, the Knicks’ defense came up big in the 2nd quarter, holding the Raptors to just 17 points. They also limited Toronto’s three-point shooting, giving up 11 threes on 37% shooting.
New York sent the Raptors to the line 19 times, where they hit 18 free throws. The Knicks finished with 26 defensive rebounds, allowing 10 offensive boards, while adding 10 steals and 4 blocks.