Knicks vs Celtics Odds and Picks (Jan. 8)
- The Celtics are 6-point favorites against the Knicks on Saturday
- The Knicks have won and covered five of their last seven
- Read below for analysis and a betting prediction
The Boston Celtics (18-21) are a 6-point home favorite against the New York Knicks in Boston Garden at 7:30pm ET Saturday on NBA TV.
The teams will conclude their four-game season series with their second game in three days. It’s a great time to try out New York sports betting.
The Knicks (19-21) beat the Celtics 108-105 in Madison Square Garden in their last time out Thursday, when RJ Barrett banked in a contested 3-pointer over Jayson Tatum at the buzzer.
Knicks vs Celtics Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Knicks | +205 | +6 (-110) | Over 208.5 (-110) |
| Boston Celtics | -250 | -6 (-110) | Under 208.5 (-110) |
Odds from FanDuel on Jan. 7
Knicks vs Celtics Results
The home team has won and covered each of the first three games of the season series. The Knicks opened the season with a 138-134 double-overtime victory as a 2.5-point favorite and Boston won the second game 114-107 as a six-point favorite. The Knicks were a two-point underdog Thursday. The Knicks overcame a 24-point second-quarter deficit on Thursday.
RJ BARRETT CALLED GAME pic.twitter.com/KOIFmnuvFa
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 7, 2022
Each team was missing six players because of COVID-19 protocols the last time they met in Boston, when the Celtics built a 15-point halftime lead and held on behind 46 points from Jaylen Brown.
Fournier Goes Off
The Celtics have had no answer this season for Knicks shooting guard Evan Fournier, whose career-high 41-points against them Thursday continued a season-long trend.
Fournier is averaging 35.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in the three games against Boston this season, during which he has almost tripling his season scoring average (13.5 points).
Evan Fournier.
10 triples.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥#NewYorkForever pic.twitter.com/FS6GFksaa5— NBA Latam (@NBALatam) January 7, 2022
Fournier had 32 points and six threes in the Knicks’ season-opening win over the Celtics, and he had another 32 points with four threes in Boston’s 114-107 victory Dec. 18. Fournier is shooting 55.4% from the field, 54.2% from distance against Boston, including drilling 10-of-14 3-point attempts Thursday.
Fournier played 16 games with Boston down the stretch last season after being acquired from Orlando on March 25. He was traded to the Knicks on Aug. 22 for cash and a swap of 2022 second-round picks.
Tatum Back in Form
Jayson Tatum was a sub-par 6-of-20 from the floor in a 99-97 loss to San Antonio on Wednesday in his first game back after missing the previous four while in COVID protocols. He was his old self the next night against the Knicks.
Tatum scored 36 points on 12-of-21 shooting and was 6-of-11 on three-pointers on Thursday, his highest output against the Knicks this season. Tatum also had nine assists, one short of a season high, while playing 40 minutes.
Tatum is averaging 23.8 points a game, ninth in the league, and is third in the league at 36.8 minutes per game, behind only Fred VanVleet and Kevin Durant.
Brown, who had 46 points in the season-opening double-overtime loss in Madison Square Garden, is averaging 27.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in the last 12 after missing 13 of the previous 18 games while dealing with left patellar tendinopathy and the effects of COVID.
Tryin’ One
The Celtics and Knicks will go deep against each other. Boston has made 55 3-pointers in 147 attempts in the season series (37.4%), with season highs in makes (21) and attempts (57) in the first meeting in double overtime. Tatum is 11-of-39 from distance against the Knicks. Brown, who had eight threes in the season opener, is 15-for-35.
New York has made 48 threes in 117 attempts against the Celtics. In addition to Fournier’s 20, Kemba Walker has eight.
Kemba Walker Update
Knicks point Kemba Walker has missed four straight games with an arthritic knee that acted up after in practice on New Year’s Eve after he was given heavy minutes in the previous six games because of COVID absences on the team, and his status is uncertain.
Team doctors have determined that there is no structural damage.
Walker scored 29 points against the Celtics on Dec. 18 after being benched in the previous 10.
By the Numbers
Boston is 8-10-1 ATS at home, 6-10 as a home favorite. The Knicks are 10-9 ATS on the road, 4-5 as a road underdog.
The home team has won and covered in each of the previous three meetings this season between these two mediocre teams, and there is no reason to believe that will change.
The pick: Boston -6 (-110)
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Jack has covered college and professional sports for various Arizona media outlets since the 1980s and has written for the Associated Press, USA Today and Baseball America, among others. He staffed the 2015-17 World Series and has staffed four Super Bowls.
