The New York Knicks are set to host the Boston Celtics in a highly anticipated Eastern Conference matchup on Friday night at Madison Square Garden. Both teams are eager to build momentum early in the 2025-26 NBA season, with the Knicks holding a 1-0 record after a strong opening night performance, while the Celtics look to bounce back from a narrow opening loss.
The Knicks kicked off their season on a high note with a 119-111 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. This win showcased the team's depth and versatility under their new head coach, Mike Brown, who was hired during the offseason. Brown’s impact was immediately evident as the Knicks deployed 11 players in the season opener, emphasizing a balanced and dynamic approach on both ends of the floor.
One standout performance for New York came from forward OG Anunoby, who put up an impressive all-around stat line. Anunoby scored 24 points, grabbed a career-tying 14 rebounds, and contributed defensively with three steals and one block. He also demonstrated his shooting ability by knocking down four three-pointers. Another key contributor was forward Mikal Bridges, who showed his two-way capabilities by finishing with 16 points, five rebounds, six assists, three steals, and two blocks. Guard Jalen Brunson also played a pivotal role, adding 23 points, four rebounds, and five assists to help secure the victory. These performances highlight the Knicks' potential to be a formidable team this season, especially with the energy and strategic direction brought by Coach Brown.
On the other side, the Boston Celtics entered the season with expectations of continuing their strong playoff runs, but they stumbled slightly in their opener. The Celtics suffered a heartbreaker at home, falling 117-116 to the Philadelphia 76ers on October 22. Despite the loss, the Celtics showed resilience and promise, especially considering they are currently without their star forward Jayson Tatum, who is sidelined with an Achilles injury expected to keep him out for an extended period.
In Tatum’s absence, Boston is relying heavily on Derrick White and Jaylen Brown to carry the offensive load. White, who averaged 16.4 points and 4.8 assists last season while shooting 38% from beyond the arc, had a strong showing in the opener. The 31-year-old guard scored 25 points, grabbed three rebounds, handed out four assists, and nailed four three-pointers against the 76ers. Jaylen Brown also stepped up, delivering 25 points, six rebounds, and four assists on 9-of-18 shooting from the field. Additionally, guard Payton Pritchard contributed valuable floor spacing and defense, scoring 16 points with five rebounds and two steals. Together, this trio forms the backbone of the Celtics’ offense in the absence of their injured star, but questions remain about how the team will maintain consistency without Tatum.
Historically, the Celtics dominated the Knicks in the previous season, sweeping the season series 4-0 during the 2024-25 campaign. The upcoming game at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks posted a solid 27-14 home record last year, presents an opportunity for New York to even the score early this season. The Knicks are currently favored by 3.5 points according to the latest betting odds, with the over/under for total points scored set at 230.5. This suggests expectations of a competitive and high-scoring game, but some projections indicate a slightly lower scoring affair.
Betting enthusiasts and NBA fans are encouraged to consider insights from the SportsLine Projection Model, which has an impressive track record of simulating NBA games with high accuracy. This model runs each game simulation 10,000 times, offering detailed predictions and betting advice. Over the past seven seasons, it has yielded over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks and is currently on a hot streak entering the new season with a 160-118 record on all top-rated picks. Last season alone, it went 24-11 against the spread on top-rated NBA picks, delivering a 69% success rate.
For those interested in betting on the Celtics vs. Knicks game, the SportsLine model has already completed its simulations. It projects the total combined points to be around 221, leaning towards the under on the set total of 230.5. Furthermore, the model identifies one side of the spread that hits