The Boston Celtics (44-17) visit the New York Knicks (35-27) on Monday night! Action tips off at 7:40 p.m. ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Celtics-Knicks prediction, pick, and how to watch.

Boston won seven of their last eight games and sits in first place in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics covered 56% of their games while 51% went over the projected point total. New York won five straight and sits in sixth place in the East. The Knicks covered 56% of their while 53% went over. This will be the second of four meetings between the division rivals. They've split the series 1-1 thus far with each visiting team coming away with a victory.

Here are the Celtics-Knicks NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel

NBA Odds: Celtics-Knicks Odds

Boston Celtics: -2.5 (-106)

New York Knicks: +2.5 (-114)

Over: 223.5 (-112)

Under: 223.5 (-108)

How To Watch Celtics vs. Knicks

TV: NBCS Boston, MSG

Stream: NBA League Pass

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 p.m. PT

*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Celtics Could Cover The Spread

Boston continues to be the best team in the NBA although they now hold just a 0.5-game lead for first place in the East. The Celtics feature one of the most well-balanced teams in the league. Boston ranks third in scoring with 118.1 PPG and seventh in points allowed with 112.1 PPG. They are an excellent passing team that ranks seventh with 26.4 APG. Those extra passes lead to a ton of open looks from beyond the arc as the Celtics average the second-most threes per game while shooting the sixth-highest percentage from three. Additionally, Boston is the single-best defensive rebounding team in the NBA as they lead the league in defensive rebound rate.

The Celtics ate led by MVP candidate Jayson Tatum. Tatum has been incredible this season, averaging 30.4 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 4.6 APG. He is highly efficient on the offensive end, shooting 46% overall and 36% from three. Additionally, Tatum does a great job getting to the line where he averages 8.5 free throw attempts per game. The All-Star game MVP has seen a ton of success against the Knicks as he is averaging 30.5 PPG against New York this season.

With Jaylen Brown out, expect Derrick White to continue to play a huge role in Boston's offense. Over their eight-game hot stretch, White averaged 21.4 PPG and 6.5 APG. The combo guard has been highly efficient over that span with a 50% field goal percentage. Additionally, he continues to be one of the Celtics' most reliable outside shooters as he averaged 3.4 made threes per game at a 45% clip during that span. After an 18-point outing against the 76ers over the weekend, expect White to fill up the box score again tonight.

Why The Knicks Could Cover The Spread

New York is red-hot again as the Knicks have won five straight coming into tonight. The Knicks are one of the more well-rounded teams in the NBA as they rank ninth in defense and 14th in scoring. Additionally, New York is a strong rebounding team who ranks in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rebounding. Offensively, the Knicks can struggle with efficiency at times but they make up for it with their ability to get to the free-throw line. New York ranks in the top ten in both free throws made per game and free throws attempted per game.

The Knicks are led by the dynamic duo of Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. Both Knicks have been stars during their recent winning streak. Randle leads the team with 29.6 PPG over that span in addition to 7.2 RPG and 3.0 APG. His scoring numbers are slightly inflated by a monster effort over the weekend. In Friday's win over Washington, Randle scored 46 points thanks to 7/14 shooting from beyond the arc. He's been lights-out from three this year, averaging a career-high 2.8 threes per game. Additionally, the Celtics have had no answer for Randle this season as he averaged 33 PPG and 9.0 RPG in two previous meetings.

For as good as Randle has been of late, Jalen Brunson has been near as impressive. The 6'1″ guard averages 23.7 PPG for the season but has turned it up of late. Over their last five games, Brunson averaged 27.8 PPG and 5.8 APG. He's been lights-out during that span, shooting 50% overall and 40% from three on six attempts per game. While he's scored just 33 points in their two games since the All-Star break, Brunson should be due for a bounce back tonight.

Final Celtics-Knicks Prediction & Pick

With both teams rolling right now I'll take the points with the home underdogs and run with it.

Final Celtics-Knicks Prediction & Pick: New York Knicks +2.5 (-114)