Boston Celtics at New York York Knicks Betting Preview

The Knicks and Celtics meet up in the midst of what has been a disappointing season for both franchises. New York, which is 18-20 and in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, beat Indiana in its last game thanks to a 30-point game from Julius Randle, who returned from a two-game absence after being in health-and-safety protocols.
Boston, which is also 18-20, lost to San Antonio by two points in its last game. The Celtics were only able to get to the free-throw line nine times.
Celtics Betting Preview: Finding the Right Mix
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have both excelled when healthy for Boston this season. Tatum leads the team, averaging 25.6 points per game, while Brown averages 24.3 points per game. Boston, overall, has struggled to score collectively. The Celtics rank 23rd in the NBA in field goal percentage, shooting 44.3 percent. Boston’s shooting from the perimeter, which stands at 33.3 percent, is the 24th best mark in the league.
The Celtics have been a strong rebounding team, grabbing 46.0 per game to rank eighth in the league. Boston’s defense has limited its opponents to 44.1 percent from the field, which is the sixth-best mark in the league.
Knicks Betting Preview: (Mostly) All Together Now
While Kemba Walker will still be out with a knee injury, Randle’s return was a real spark for New York. The Knicks’ veteran forward has been a consistent all-around presence for the Knicks, leading the team with 19.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. RJ Barrett, who scored 32 points against Indiana Tuesday, has now scored in double figures in four straight games to provide Randle with support.
New York has had its fair share of struggles this season. The Knicks average 104.7 points per game and shoot 43.6 percent from the field, which ranks 27th and 25th, respectively, in the league. New York pulls down 10.8 offensive rebounds per game.
Celtics and Knicks Betting Odds and Trends
Boston is 19-19 against the spread this season, including a 10-9 mark against the spread. The total has gone over in 16 of the Celtics’ 38 games. The Knicks are 17-21 against the spread, including a 7-12 mark at home. Sixteen of New York’s 38 games have gone over the total this year.
Celtics and Knicks prediction
The Knicks are 1-point favorites, while the over/under is set at 211 points. Both teams have had a hard time being consistent this season. While New York got some energy from Randle returning, even with him in the lineup, the Knicks have struggled to be effective. Boston is playing in the second game of a back-to-back. The Celtics are 5-2 in such situations this season and are coming off a disappointing loss to San Antonio.
The two teams have split their two meetings this season. Expect this game to go under. The spread is a coinflip, and it’s hard to trust either one of these teams to grab a result at this point of the season.