Knicks vs Celtics Odds, Spread & Predictions (Jan. 26)

• Boston is laying 8-points at home to New York on Thursday in the Knicks vs Celtics odds
• Jaylen Brown (adductor) doesn’t carry an injury designation after missing Boston’s last game
• The latest Knicks vs Celtics odds are below, along with injury updates and predictions

When you’re as good as the Boston Celtics are, even a two-game losing streak can feel like a major slump. The Celtics (35-14, 18-5 home) dropped the last two outings on their three-game road trip, but return home on Thursday looking to right the ship.

Boston boasts one of the league’s premier home records, and will be looking to win for the 19th time in 24 tries there when they host the Knicks (26-23, 14-10 away). Online sportsbooks appear to love their chances to break out of this mini slump, as they opened the Celtics has heavy chalk in the NBA odds.

Knicks vs Celtics Odds

Odds as of January 25 at Barstool Sportsbook.

Boston is currently favored by 8 points, in a game without a total as of Wednesday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm ET at TD Garden in Boston, MA, with TNT providing the broadcast coverage.

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Boston Celtics Betting Trends

The Celtics enter play as the favorite in the NBA Championship odds. They’ve been at the top of the odds board for most of the season, and a small bump in the road isn’t going to change that.

Boston currently boasts the second best scoring offense, and the third best unit per offensive rating. They’re especially strong shooting threes, and that just happens to be one of New York’s biggest weaknesses on defense. The Celtics have made the second most threes in the NBA, while the Knicks allow the third most three-point attempts, and the sixth most makes per game.

The last time these two teams played back in November, Boston put on a three-point shooting clinic. The Celtics buried a franchise record 27 threes, led by their dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The pair each made six triples and combined to score 56 points.

Tatum and Brown are the only set of teammates to each rank in the top-12 in scoring, while Tatum is a top-five NBA MVP odds candidate. He’s averaging 31 points per night in January, and is coming off a 31 point, 14 rebound effort in a losing cause in Miami.

NBA LINEUP ALERT: Celtics SG/SF Jaylen Brown (adductor), PG Malcolm Brogdon (personal) and PF/C Al Horford (back) do not carry injury designations for Thursday's game vs. the Knicks. pic.twitter.com/Sswg8UgWz4

— DraftKings Network (@DKNetwork) January 25, 2023

Brown (adductor) sat out versus the Heat, as did fellow starters Al Horford (back), Marcus Smart (ankle) and key reserve Malcolm Brogdon (personal). Brown, Horford and Brogdon are all expected back versus the Knicks, while Smart will be sidelined a couple weeks.

New York Knicks Betting Trends

New York snapped a losing streak of their own last time out, squeaking past Cleveland 105-103 at MSG. The Knicks got 36 points from Julius Randle, including a career-high eight threes. Three-point shooting hasn’t been a strong suit of New York this season, as they rank sixth last in field goal percentage from beyond the arc.

The Knicks have been relying heavily on the trio of Randle, R.J. Barrett and Jalen Brunson and we should expect that to continue on Thursday. New York’s big three are one of the only trios who all average north of 20 points per night. Randle leads the way with 24.6 points per contest, and also pulls down a team-high 11 boards per outing.

Julius Randle. In a New York State Of Mind.

36 PTS
13 REB
8/12 3PT

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/MVKe9MLdfZ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 25, 2023

He had 29 points in his last contest versus Boston, while Barrett splashed 27 points and Brunson added 22. With no Smart to defend him, Brunson will be in position to succeed on Thursday as both a scorer and a playmaker. He averages a team high 6.2 assists per contest, but has also flashed a high scoring ceiling lately. He’s cleared 31 points five times already this month, including a 44-point effort two weeks ago versus the Bucks.

On the injury front, starting center Mitchell Robinson (thumb) is out indefinitely. That’s a major blow as he’s the team’s best rebounder and top rim protector.

Knicks vs Celtics Predictions

Prior to their four-game slide last week, the Knicks had been a cash cow for spread backers. They still remain one of the top-10 cover teams in the league, and have been especially strong ATS away from home.

New York is 16-8 against the spread as visitors, including 10-7 ATS as road ‘dogs with eight outright victories. This will be their largest underdog role of the season, and 8 points feels like too much for Boston to lay without Smart, their best defender.

NBA Defensive Rating Ranks on the Road

The Knicks have enough firepower to keep pace with the Celtics, it’s just a matter of if they can get stops. Their defense played excellently last time out versus Cleveland, the league’s 11th best offense, and has performed well away from MSG all season.

New York ranks fifth in the league in defensive rating on the road, while only two other teams in the NBA have a better net rating as visitors than the Knicks.

Pick: New York Knicks +8 (-110)