The 2024-25 NBA season will begin on Tuesday night when the world champion Boston Celtics host the New York Knicks on NBA Opening Night. The Celtics went 64-18 to win the No. 1 seed in the East last season and then went 16-3 during a dominant playoff win to claim an 18th NBA title. However, the Knicks were 50-32 to finish second in the conference and are expecting to take another step forward after adding Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges this offseason.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden, where the Celtics went 46-6 last season (including the playoffs). SportsLine consensus lists Boston as the 6-point favorite in the latest Celtics vs. Knicks odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 222.5. Before making any Knicks vs. Celtics picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six seasons. The model ended the 2023-24 season on a sizzling 94-61 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,800 in the process. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Celtics and just locked in its picks and NBA Finals predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Celtics vs. Knicks:
- Celtics vs. Knicks spread: Boston -6
- Celtics vs. Knicks over/under: 222.5 points
- Celtics vs. Knicks money line: Boston -159, New York +165
- BOS: Boston won and covered the spread in three of four against New York last season
- NYK: The total went over in 13 of New York's last 18 games in 2023-24
- Celtics vs. Knicks picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Celtics vs. Knicks streaming: FuboTV (try for free)
Why the Celtics can cover
Boston forward Jayson Tatum will be looking to further prove himself after what should have been a celebratory summer turned somewhat sour when he was put on the back burner on the Olympic team. Tatum averaged 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game while winning his first championship.
The Celtics went 16-3 during a dominant run through the 2024 NBA playoffs where they had an average margin of victory of 8.1 points per game. Boston also ranked first in the NBA in offensive rating (123.2) and third in defensive rating (111.6) during the regular season and efficiency has been a driving force in their success in this era. See which team to pick here.
Why the Knicks can cover
New York didn't have Julius Randle available during a playoff run that ended with a Game 7 loss to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. That was likely was a factor when the Knicks traded Randle and Donte DiVincenzo away in a three-team deal to land Towns. The Knicks also traded for Bridges to form a new core with Towns, Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby.
Brunson made his first all-star team after averaging 28.7 points and 6.7 assists (both career-highs) then carried the Knicks during the postseason without Randle, averaging 32.4 points and 7.5 assists in the playoffs. Now he has a new All-Star center to play with and two of the best wing defenders in the NBA in Bridges and Anunoby. See which team to pick here.
How to make Celtics vs. Knicks picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 224 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in nearly 70% of simulations. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Knicks vs. Celtics, and which side has hits in nearly 70% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that went 94-61 on top-rated NBA pick last season, and find out.
