Jan 8, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives to the basket against New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Knicks vs Celtics Bold Predictions and Prop Bets (Are the Knicks For Real?)
The excitement around the Knicks is reaching the highest it’s been since… ever?
New York hasn’t been this relevant this late in the season in YEARS and it has another chance to prove itself today with a rematch against Boston. The Knicks handled the Celtics, 109-94, on Monday as Jaylen Brown sat out for personal reasons.
Another win against the C’s today would not only help the Knicks in their quest for home-court advantage in the playoffs but would also further establish themselves as one of the top teams in the East.
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Bold Predictions and Prop Bets for Knicks vs. Celtics
New York won’t be able to surprise Boston this time around, but this is a much deeper and much better Knicks team post-All-Star break.
The Knicks are at full strength after trading for Josh Hart to come off the bench and after Mitchell Robinson’s return from injury.
But Boston should also be all-systems-go, as it’s expected to have Brown for this game after missing him on Monday.
Here are my bold predictions for this game:
Mitchell Robinson OVER 9 Rebounds
Robinson is one of the best rebounders in the NBA and he’s been paying off for anyone betting on his rebounds lately.
He’s cleared this number in every single game since returning from injury and it’s usually not even that close. Robinson has averaged 9.2 rebounds over the season, but that’s not accounting for a slow start to the season in which he didn’t earn the playing time he does now.
Now the team’s go-to rebounder, Robinson has posted 10+ boards in nine of the last 15 games that he’s played full minutes.
When you consider that Boston is 25th in the NBA in offensive rebounding percentage (21.9%), there should be plenty of chances for Robinson to reach this number.
Jayson Tatum OVER 2.5 Made 3-Pointers
Not enough people talk about how deadly Tatum can be from beyond the arc. He averaged over 9 attempts per game last month and made them at a 43.3% rate.
He’s hit at least three 3-pointers in seven of his past 10 games, and there’s a good chance he’s motivated to shoot after losing to the Knicks this past Monday.
New York allows 12.8 made 3-pointers per game (23rd in the NBA). Tatum didn’t hit this mark on Monday as he went 1-of-9 from deep, but with Brown back, he shouldn’t have quite as much defensive attention.
Take the over here on one of the best players in the NBA.
Total Points UNDER 225
Both of these teams are exceptional on both ends of the floor, but I’m leaning toward the under.
Boston and New York are both in the bottom half of the league in possessions per game and are both top 10 in opponents’ points allowed (tied at 112 per game).
Coming off a game that finished 109-94, I don’t see how these teams will score 25 more points this time around considering their strong defense and slower pace of play.
Take the under here, as one of these teams is sure to struggle with the other’s top-10 defense for at least part of this game.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
