Celtics at Knicks NBA Odds and Betting Prediction in Week 1

The Boston Celtics added All-Stars Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to an already-loaded roster this offseason and the Celtics open the 2023-24 NBA season Wednesday night at the New York Knicks at the betting favorites to win the NBA title, but only short favorites at the Garden. 2023 NBA Betting Boston vs. New York | MyBookie Sportsbook | Regular Season: October 24, 2023, to April 14, 2024

How to Bet Celtics at Knicks NBA Odds & TV Info

When: Wednesday, 7 PM ET
Where: Madison Square Garden
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: Tunein.com
NBA Odds: Celtics -3 (total 224.5)

Last Season

New York took three of four from Boston in the 2022-23 regular season. The last meeting was on March 5 in Boston and the Knicks were 131-129 triple OT winners. Immanuel Quickley scored a career-high 38 points, playing 55 minutes in place of injured starter Jalen Brunson. Quickley had seven points in the second overtime and added eight rebounds and seven assists with Brunson sidelined because of soreness in his left foot. Julius Randle had 31 points and nine rebounds, and RJ Barrett finished with 29 points and 11 boards for the Knicks, who held on when Boston’s Al Horford front-rimmed a 3-pointer from the right corner just before the final buzzer. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 40 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

Why Bet on Boston?

The Celtics finished the 2022-23 season with a 57-25 overall record, marking the most regular season wins (57) and the best winning percentage (.695) since 2008-09 when the team went 62-20 (.756). The Celtics averaged a franchise record 16.0 made three-pointers per game and knocked down at least 25 three-pointers in four games, which was tied for the most such game in the NBA (Golden State).

Boston ranked fourth in the league with 117.9 points per game for the sixth-highest scoring average in franchise history and the most points per game in a season since 1966-67 (119.3 ppg). The Celtics averaged their most assists per game (26.7) since the 1989-90 season (29.5) and finished seventh in the NBA.

Boston was upset in Game 7 of the East Finals at home by Miami, however. The Celtics became just the fourth team in league history to win three straight games after losing the first three games of a best-of-seven series and advance the series to a seventh game. The C’s are now 22-6 all-time in Game 7s at home.

The Celtics’ roster features eight returning players from last year’s Eastern Conference Finals run, highlighted by All-NBA selections Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and All-Defense honoree Derrick White. The team embraced five new additions over the offseason including, Dalano Banton, Oshae Brissett, Jrue Holiday, Svi Mykhailiuk, Kristaps Porzingis, and Lamar Stevens.

Tatum led the league in scoring with 2,225 total points last year, becoming the second player in Celtics history to lead the league in total points scored along with Paul Pierce, who scored 2,144 points (2001-02). Tatum ranked second in the NBA in made field goals (727), third in minutes per game (36.9) and sixth in made three-pointers with a single season career high 240 threes.

Holiday was acquired via trade from Portland for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams and draft picks. Among all active NBA players, Holiday ranks sixth in total assists (5,868), 11th in steals (1,346), and 18th in points scored (14,876), and also owns the sixth-most rebounds among league guards (3,702). Porzingis came over from Washington in a three-way deal that saw Boston ship out Marcus Smart. Porzingis, 27, has appeared in 402 career games and has averaged 19.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.8 blocks in 31.1 minutes per game.

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Why Bet on New York?

The Knicks beat almost everyone’s expectations last season when they won 47 games and a first-round playoff series. New York upset Cleveland in Round 1 but then lost in five to Miami.

Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle became the first pair of teammates in Knicks history to each have at least four 40-point games in the same season. Brunson had 17 30-point performances, the most by a guard in franchise history. Richie Guerin holds the franchise record for 30-point games in a season for the Knicks with 36 in 1961-62. Brunson ranked fourth in the NBA with 139 clutch points. He was one of two players in the NBA averaging at least 23.5 points, 6.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds while shooting at least 48% FG and 40% 3PT. Steph Curry was the other.

Randle ranked seventh in the East in points (25.1 points) and 5th in rebounds (10.0 rebounds). He was one of four players in the NBA to average at least 20.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists (Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic) and was in the NBA with 40 double-doubles.

The Knicks had a quiet offseason as the starting lineup that turned into the best of the Tom Thibodeau era (Brunson, Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, Randle and Mitchell Robinson) remains intact.

They signed Donte DiVincenzo and traded Obi Toppin. They also passed on trading for any star players. Leon Rose and his group are betting that internal development and DiVincenzo is all they’ll need to take a step forward this season.

DiVincenzo, 26, is coming off a strong season with the Golden State Warriors, with whom he averaged 9.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists across 72 regular-season games (36 starts) while shooting a career-high 39.7% from 3-point range on 5.3 attempts per game. He gives New York another strong defender and solid 3-point shooter on the perimeter, continuing to fit within the mold of what the team has built under Thibodeau.

Toppin was selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft and averaged 7.4 points and 2.8 rebounds last season, his third in the league. The 6-foot-9 forward has shown flashes of potential throughout his career but has struggled to get consistent minutes on a Knicks team focused on winning in the immediate future.

New York’s second unit — comprised of Immanuel Quickley, DiVincenzo, Barrett, Josh Hart and Isaiah Hartenstein — has a chance to outplay other bench lineups. Size might be an issue as five New York’s nine rotation players are 6 foot 5 or smaller.

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Celtics vs Knicks Expert Prediction

Celtics 112, Knicks 110

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