The Boston Celtics return to TD Garden for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Wednesday night. Tipoff is set for 7:00PM ET. The Celtics trail the New York Knicks 3-1 in the series after losing Game 4 by a score of 121-113.
New York took both Games 1 and 2 on the road, then split two games at home. This is the third trip to Boston in the series for the Knicks, who are a perfect 5-0 on the road in the playoffs. Boston will try to extend the series but must do it without star Jayson Tatum, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury late in Game 4.
Celtics Preview – Boston Looks to Stay Alive Without Tatum
Boston finished the regular season 61-21, good for second in the East. They were dominant at home with a 35-10 record. Now they need a win to avoid elimination and keep their season alive. The team is 9-2 this year when playing without Tatum, including one playoff win over Orlando.
Jaylen Brown will be the go-to option in Tatum’s absence. Brown had 20 points and 7 rebounds in Game 4. Derrick White also chipped in 23 points and hit 3 three-pointers. Al Horford started at center and logged 5 points and 5 rebounds in 37 minutes.
The Celtics are still strong defensively, allowing just 106.2 points per game during the season, ranking third in the league. They hold top-five ranks in opponent field goal and three-point percentage. But their offense will be tested without their leading scorer, who averaged 26.8 points per game during the year and dropped 42 before exiting Game 4.
Knicks Preview – New York Aims to Close Series on the Road
The Knicks were 51-31 in the regular season and finished third in the East. They’ve been better on the road in the playoffs, winning all five games away from home so far. A win in Game 5 would send New York to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years.
Jalen Brunson leads the offense, averaging 30.2 points in the playoffs and coming off a 39-point, 12-assist game. Brunson has scored at least 30 in three of the four games this series. Mikal Bridges added 23 points in Game 4, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points and 11 rebounds for his sixth straight double-double.
New York is 29-17 on the road this season and 47-44-1 ATS overall. They have covered in all three of their playoff wins against Boston. The Knicks have also had success in the first quarter and on the moneyline in road games, showing consistency in their starts and finishes.
Betting Prediction
The Celtics are 4.5-point favorites, but they’ll be missing their top scorer and most consistent player in Tatum. While Boston has played well without him during the regular season, the playoffs are a different challenge. Brunson has clearly been the best player in the series and is getting help from a deep starting five.
The total is 207.5, down from previous games, likely due to Tatum’s absence. The under has hit in three of the last four games in the series. New York has shown they can win in Boston, and they should be able to keep this game close. Backing the Knicks with the points is the best move here.
Pick: Knicks +4.5
