The Boston Celtics will visit the New York Knicks in a Friday night matchup in the NBA. The Knicks got a win at home in their season opener and will look for a second straight victory against a Celtics team that lost its opener to Philadelphia. Before tip-off at Madison Square Garden, continue reading to get my Celtics vs Knicks prediction.
Our Celtics vs Knicks Pick
- Pick: New York Knicks -3.5
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Boston Celtics @ New York Knicks
- Date & Time: Friday, October 24, 2025, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
- Broadcast: Prime Video
Key Storylines
The Knicks are entering this contest with home-court advantage and momentum after beating the Cavaliers in their season opener. The Celtics are seeking their first win after dropping their game on opening night. New York’s roster appears more stable and deeper at this juncture. The Knicks will be without Mitchell Robinson, who has been ruled out for this game due to ankle injury management. But that absence pales in comparison to the absence of Jayson Tatum for Boston.
Boston’s lack of an elite rim-protector and some early defensive lapses were noticeable in their lost to the Sixers. The Knicks are attempting to push tempo more under Mike Brown and that could cause problems for Boston’s short-handed roster. The NBA is all about which teams make their shots from the outside, but New York seems to have the personnel advantage going into this matchup with their Atlantic Division rivals.
Head-to-Head & Betting Trends
The Knicks covered the spread in their first game of the season, while Boston failed to cover the number as a home favorite against Philly. Both teams went over the total in their season openers, as only two games in the league have stayed under their totals after three nights of action.
These teams last played each other in last year’s playoffs, where the Knicks eliminated the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Tatum’s injury absence had a lot to do with that result and the Knicks will look for a repeat performance at home in this contest.
Best Player Props to Watch
| Player | Prop |
|---|---|
| Derrick White (Celtics) | Over 19.5 points |
| Jaylen Brown (Celtics) | 2+ made 3-pointers |
| Jalen Brunson (Knicks) | Over 26.5 points |
Celtics vs Knicks Model Projection
Score Projection: New York Knicks 118 – Boston Celtics 110
Win Probability: Knicks 67%, Celtics 33%
Final Thoughts
If Jayson Tatum was healthy, this game could go either way. But he isn’t healthy and the Celtics will not have enough scorers to make up for his absence in this contest. I’ll lay the points with the Knicks at home, as they should improve to 2-0 on the season and continue building the excitement around their roster in a season where expectations could not be higher.
