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Looking to avoid a 3-0 hole, the Boston Celtics (65-24) are forced to win Game 3 on the road against the New York Knicks (57-33). It's time to continue our NBA Playoffs odds series with a Celtics-Knicks prediction and pick.
The Celtics have not lost a playoff series since falling to the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, which was also the last time they faced an 0-2 hole. However, despite playing with their backs against the wall, Boston is still a slight favorite to win the series.
Riding a three-game win streak, the Knicks return to Madison Square Garden, where they lost their last game to the Detroit Pistons. Looking to return to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000, New York needs just one of the next two games to take a commanding lead over the former champions. Throughout the playoffs, the Knicks have ridden the momentum of their stifling defense to continue frustrating teams each outing.
Here are the Celtics-Knicks NBA Playoffs odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Playoffs Odds: Celtics-Knicks Game 3 Odds
Boston Celtics: -5.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -225
New York Knicks: +5.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +188
Over: 205 (-106)
Under: 205 (-114)
How To Watch Celtics vs. Knicks NBA Playoffs 2025
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT
TV: ESPN
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Celtics Will Cover the Spread/Win
Article Continues Below
The scoreboard might suggest the Celtics are getting dominated, but the series is a perfect example of the “game of inches” cliché. Each game has been decided by just a handful of plays that swung in favor of New York, which won Games 1 and 2 by a combined four points.
Despite the competitive nature of both games, the Knicks have significantly outplayed the Celtics through two games. Everything has gone almost perfectly for Tom Thibodeau's squad and as poorly as possible for Boston. The Celtics hit just 35.1 percent of their shots in Game 1, followed by shooting an equally bad 36.2 percent in Game 2. They went just 25 percent from deep in both outings. Credit to New York's defense, but nobody in green can hit the side of a barn through two.
After struggling so clearly in Games 1 and 2, going back on the road would not seem to help matters. However, Boston was surprisingly better on the road than at home in the regular season. The Celtics went 33-8 in their away games, as opposed to 28-13 at the TD Garden. The Knicks have experienced a similar trend in the postseason, going 5-0 in their away games thus far and just 1-2 on their home floor.
Why the Knicks Will Cover the Spread/Win
As one of the most well-rounded teams in the league, the Celtics have boasted some of the best role players all season. Yet early in this series, it is the Knicks' supporting cast out-performing that of Boston. Still waiting on a true blow-up game from Jalen Brunson, New York rode the hot hand of OG Anunoby in Game 1 and Josh Hart in Game 2.
After falling short in the playoffs a year ago, the Knicks made a concerted effort to add more length to their perimeter in the offseason. They did so with Mikal Bridges, reuniting him with Brunson and Hart. A wave of Villanova jokes ensued, but the move has paid off thus far. With an ensemble cast of Bridges, Anunoby, Hart, and Mitchell Robinson, New York's plethora of athletic, long, switchable defenders has given the Celtics' pick-and-roll-based offense fits.
With Kristaps Porzingis continuing to battle a mysterious illness, Boston has been unable to keep up with New York in the paint. Karl-Anthony Towns took full advantage of Porzingis' move to the bench in Game 2, torturing 38-year-old Al Horford with a 21-point, 17-rebound double-double. Horford, who is just 4-for-17 from the floor through two games, does not open up the offense like Porzingis and is not the same type of rim protector to affect Brunson off the bounce.
Final Celtics-Knicks Prediction & Pick
Porzingis' status is a significant question mark, as he has effectively played himself off the court through two games. But regardless of his availability, the Celtics return to Madison Square Garden, where they won their last four games against the Knicks. Having been much more consistent on the road than at home in the regular season, Boston is strangely in its element whenever away from the TD Garden.
After shooting just 7-for-23 from the field in Game 1, it did not seem as if Jayson Tatum could play any worse. He somehow managed to do just that, going 5-for-19 for just 13 points in Game 2. Nothing has gone his way so far, but most of his misses are coming on shots he has drained all season. Tatum's decision-making late in games has been uncharacteristically woeful, but he has historically bounced back with authority in similar situations.
Though prone to bouts of inconsistency, Boston never lost more than two consecutive games in the regular season. In a series that clearly features teams so evenly matched, the ball has just bounced in the Knicks' direction in every 50-50 scenario thus far. The Celtics have not shot below 40 percent from the field in three straight games in over three years, which is what New York has needed to pull off two narrow upsets.
Final Celtics-Knicks Prediction & Pick: Celtics -5.5 (-110), Under 205.5 (-114)
