The defending NBA champion Boston Celtics will look to even their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series with the New York Knicks when they meet in Game 4 on Monday night in the 2025 NBA playoffs. Boston avoided a 3-0 deficit with a 115-93 win in Game 3. The Celtics (61-21), the second seed in the East, are 2-1 on the road this postseason. The Knicks (51-31), the third seed in the conference, are 1-3 on their home floor in the playoffs.
Tipoff from Madison Square Garden in New York is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Boston has won nine of the last 12 meetings with New York, including all four regular-season games in 2024-25. The Celtics are 6.5-point favorites in the latest Celtics vs. Knicks odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 208.5. The Celtics are -260 on the money line (risk $260 to win $100), while the Knicks are +210 (risk $100 to win $210). Before making any Knicks vs. Celtics picks, check out the NBA predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six-plus seasons. The model enters the conference semifinals of the 2025 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 159-116 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, including a 3-0 mark in the playoffs, returning nearly $4,000. It is also 23-11 (68%) on top-rated NBA against-the-spread picks this season. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Now, the model has simulated Celtics vs. Knicks 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NBA picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Knicks vs. Celtics:
- Celtics vs. Knicks spread: Boston -6.5 at DraftKings
- Celtics vs. Knicks over/under: 208.5 points
- Celtics vs. Knicks money line: Boston -260, New York +210
- BOS: The Celtics have hit the team total under in 63 of their last 96 games (+25.80)
- NY: The Knicks have hit the game total under in 22 of their last 35 games (+8.80 units)
- Celtics vs. Knicks picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Celtics vs. Knicks streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Celtics can cover
Small forward Jayson Tatum continues to help power the Boston offense. He is coming off a near double-double with 22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals in Game 3 on Saturday. He opened the series with a double-double, scoring 23 points, while grabbing 16 rebounds and dishing out six assists, while making two steals and blocking one shot. He was dominant in the first round against the Orlando Magic, registering three double-doubles. In seven postseason games, Tatum is averaging 26.1 points, 12 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.9 steals in 40.3 minutes.
Shooting guard Jaylen Brown is also a big part of the Celtics’ success. In eight postseason games this season, he is averaging 22.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 37.6 minutes. In Saturday’s game, he poured in 19 points, while adding six rebounds and five assists. He had 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists in Game 1. He registered two double-doubles in the first round series against Orlando, including a 36-point, 10-rebound and five-assist effort in Game 2, a 109-100 win. See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why the Knicks can cover
Point guard Jalen Brunson continues to help power New York. In Saturday’s Game 3 loss, he scored 27 points, while chipping in seven assists and grabbing four rebounds. He helped fuel the Game 1 comeback, scoring 29 points, while adding five assists, four rebounds and two steals. In nine playoff appearances this season, he is averaging 29.1 points, 7.6 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 40 minutes. His most prolific outing this postseason came in Game 6 of the first round in a 116-113 win over the Detroit Pistons. In that game, he poured in 40 points, while adding seven assists and four rebounds.
Also helping propel the Knicks is center Karl-Anthony Towns. The big man is averaging 19.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and one block in 36.6 minutes. He has registered five consecutive double-doubles, including a 21-point and 15-rebound performance in Saturday’s Game 3 loss. He scored 21 points, grabbed 17 rebounds and added one assist and one block in the 91-90 win in Game 2 at Boston. See which team to back at SportsLine.
How to make Celtics vs. Knicks picks
SportsLine’s model has simulated Knicks vs. Celtics 10,000 times and is leaning Over the total, projecting 209 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s NBA picks.
So who wins Celtics vs. Knicks, and which side of the spread cashes in over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Celtics vs. Knicks spread to back, all from the model that has returned well over $10,000 on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.
