The Boston Celtics (35-14, 25-23-1 ATS) travel back home tonight to take on the New York Knicks (26-23, 25-22-2 ATS) at TD Garden. Both teams come in struggling, with the Celtics losing their last two and the Knicks losing four straight before winning Tuesday’s contest against Cleveland. The Celtics have won the only game between the two teams so far.
According to the online sportsbook betonline.ag, the Celtics are currently 8.5 point favorites.
Point Spread: Celtics -8.5
O/U: 221 points
ML: Celtics -350, Knicks +280
Injury Report
The Celtics are getting a major boost today, as Al Horford, Malcolm Brogdon, and Jaylen Brown are all cleared to play after missing Tuesday’s game in Miami. Marcus Smart (right ankle sprain) will miss tonight’s contest.
For the Knicks, Evan Fournier (personal) will be joining Mitchell Robinson on the inactive list. Robinson got surgery on his fractured right thumb last week and will miss at least two more weeks.
Celtics Projected Starters
PG: Derrick White
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: Jayson Tatum
PF: Al Horford
C: Robert Williams III
Knicks Projected Starters
PG: Jalen Brunson
SG: Quentin Grimes
SF: RJ Barrett
PF: Julius Randle
C: Jericho Sims
Boston Celtics Overview
It goes without saying how big the returns of Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, and Malcolm Brogdon are to the Celtics, giving them a desperately needed offensive boost. Brogdon in particular is huge after seeing the struggles from the Celtics’ bench over the past two games. He should be able to buoy the second unit enough while Tatum and Brown go to work against a so-so Knicks defense that doesn’t like to double team no matter who the opponent is.
Another area the Celtics should be suited for more success today is in the paint. Mitchell Robinson has been a force all year on the offensive glass and protecting the rim on the defensive end. The Celtics may be poised for high offensive rebounding numbers tonight if Williams III can capitalize on the Robinson-less Knicks defense. Without Robinson in the paint, the Celtics as a team should also try to get looks inside early. Though Sims and Isaiah Hartenstein are capable defenders, they have a real opportunity to attack the rim, eventually setting up easy outside looks.
New York Knicks Overview
The Knicks have been bad recently against subpar competition in the East, but RJ Barrett has been playing his best basketball of the season. After an inconsistent start to the season, Barrett has raised his offensive game, and over his last five he’s averaging 24.4 points. When he’s on and making smart reads while driving towards the basket, he gives the Knicks a legitimate third scoring option to go along with Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, either of whom you can make the case for an All Star selection.
While the Knicks aren’t the deepest team in the East, they are capable of getting good contributions from their bench, and the overall disparities in each team’s second unit leans heavily in their favor. Immanuel Quickley all year has been a steady offensive presence, Obi Toppin has started to get back into rhythm following an injury, and Deuce McBride, known more for his defense, has shown with extended run that he can score a bit as well. If the Knicks can find a way to prevent a big night from Tatum and Brown, their bench could be the key for a win tonight.
Prediction
Don’t let the spread fool you, the Knicks are a tough team that has played up to their competition all year. Their main issue is they often struggle to play a full 48 minutes. The Celtics are coming off of a bad collapse, but they’re playing a team that has excelled in forth quarter collapses all year, most notably the historic loss against Dallas in late December. If the Celtics can simply hang around all game and keep the ball out of the hands of Jalen Brunson late in the fourth quarter, then they’re in great shape to snap this short losing skid. I expect it to be a close one, but I think the Celtics will come away with the victory and go up 2-0 in the season series.
