Boston Celtics (54-25) vs. NY Knicks (51-28)
April 9, 2026 7:30 pm EDT
The Line: NY Knicks -4.5; Over/Under: 217.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The New York Knicks play host to the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. Here’s a Knicks vs. Celtics Prediction. This article will include a Knicks vs. Celtics Pick.
Boston Celtics Betting Preview
The Boston Celtics have been on a tear as they’ve won 11 of their last 13 games overall and they will be gunning for a fifth straight victory after routing the Hornets in a 113-102 win on Tuesday. Jaylen Brown led the team with 35 points, nine rebounds and three assists; Jayson Tatum added 23 points with five rebounds and four assists, while Derrick White chipped in with 12 points. As a team, the Celtics shot 49 percent from the field and 17 of 42 from the 3-point line as they got off to a slow start and scored just 20 points in the first quarter to trail by 11 points early, but they clawed their way back into the contest before they held the Hornets to just 15 points in the fourth quarter to pull away and win comfortably in the end.
New York Knicks Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks have been in great shape, as they’ve won 10 of their last 13 games overall and they will be gunning for a fourth straight victory after sneaking past the Hawks in a 108-105 road win on Monday. Jalen Brunson led the team with 30 points and 13 assists; OG Anunoby added 22 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns tallied 21 points with 12 rebounds and six assists. As a team, the Knicks shot 50 percent from the field and 11 of 33 from the 3-point line as they looked to be in trouble after trailing by five points late in the fourth quarter before they closed the final 2:54 on a 13-5 run to escape with the narrow win.
Why the New York Knicks will win
- The Knicks have won each of their last seven home games when playing with a rest advantage.
- The Celtics have lost each of their last three games at Madison Square Garden.
- The Knicks have covered the spread in each of their last seven home games when playing with a rest advantage.
- The Celtics have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four night games at Madison Square Garden.
Why the Boston Celtics will win
- The Celtics have won each of their last 11 road games following a home win.
- The Knicks have lost four of their last six games as favorites against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back.
- The Celtics have covered the spread in each of their last six games as road underdogs against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back.
- The Knicks have failed to cover the spread in eight of their last nine home games against Eastern Conference opponents after winning as underdogs.
Total Points Facts
- Nine of the Celtics’ last 10 games against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Each of the Knicks’ last four games on the first leg of a back-to-back has gone UNDER the total points line.
Knicks vs Celtics Prediction
The Celtics are still keeping an eye on Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser, Derrick White and Jaylen Brown, who are all questionable, while the Knicks have listed Tyler Kolek as questionable due to a right oblique strain. These teams have already met three times this season, with the Knicks leading the series by 2-1 so it’s no surprise to see them open as favorites at home in this meeting. The Celtics have been quietly racking up the wins, but they are sweating on the availability of a bunch of players in this one, which opens the door for the Knicks, who are almost completely healthy. The Knicks won the last meeting between these teams by 111-89 back on Feb 8, so while I am expecting a much closer contest, I still think the Knicks get the win and cover at the short line in this one.
