New York Knicks @ Boston Celtics - May 5, 2025

As the New York Knicks gear up to face off against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, we’re in for an exciting clash between two division rivals. The Celtics enter this matchup as -8.5-point favorites, which reflects their strong season and recent performances. With a total set at 213 points, it’s clear that oddsmakers expect a competitive game.

Let’s break down what each team brings to the table. The Celtics have been lighting it up offensively, averaging about 115.7 points per game with a shooting percentage of 46.4%. They also excel from beyond the arc with nearly 37% accuracy on three-pointers and maintain solid free throw shooting at around 80%. Their ball movement is decent too, averaging just over 25 assists per game.

On the defensive end, Boston has shown some vulnerabilities but remains effective overall. They grab approximately 45.1 rebounds per game and average about 7 steals while allowing around 12 turnovers—areas they’ll need to tighten up against a Knicks team that can score efficiently.

Speaking of the Knicks, they come into this contest with a slightly lower offensive output of around 115.3 points per game but boast an impressive field goal percentage of 48.4%, which is higher than Boston’s mark. Their three-point shooting sits just below Boston’s at approximately 36.6%, and they convert free throws at nearly 80%. Interestingly, New York averages more assists (about 27) than their opponent, indicating good ball distribution and teamwork.

Defensively, however, New York has its challenges—they secure fewer rebounds (around 42.5) compared to Boston and allow more turnovers (13). Additionally, they commit significantly more fouls (about 17), which could be detrimental if they give the Celtics too many opportunities from the charity stripe.

Looking back at recent performances provides further insight into how these teams might fare tonight. The Celtics are riding high after a dominant victory over Orlando where they covered an -11 point spread convincingly while hitting the OVER on total points scored (209). Meanwhile, New York recently edged out Detroit in a close contest where they managed to cover as underdogs; however, their combined score hit an impressive total of 229—indicating both teams can put up numbers when needed.

Given all these factors—the strength of Boston’s home court advantage (a perfect record in their last five games there), their current form winning six out of seven games recently—and New York’s ability to keep games competitive despite being underdogs leads me to predict that Boston will win this matchup comfortably while covering the spread.

Expect plenty of scoring as well; I believe we’ll see totals exceed that initial line set by oddsmakers given both teams’ offensive capabilities coupled with New York’s tendency towards higher-scoring affairs lately.

In conclusion: I’m predicting a Celtics victory tonight over the Knicks with them covering that spread comfortably while we see totals go OVER for another thrilling night in NBA action!