The first game of the new NBA season will see the reigning champions Boston Celtics host the New York Knicks at their TD Garden. The game is scheduled for Wednesday, at 12:30 AM BST.
In this post, I'll take a closer look at the game, team news, and odds. I'll also provide a few betting predictions for it.
Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks betting tips
- Handicap betting: New York Knicks to win (+6) @ 9/10
- Home team total points: Under 114.5 @ 10/11
- To score 15+ points: Mikal Bridges @ Evens
All Celtics vs Knicks odds were taken from Paddy Power and are subject to change at any time.
New York Knicks to win with handicap (+6)
The Celtics are the defending champions and they will have the home-court advantage, but the Knicks will be a very dangerous team this season. After all, they reached the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season despite struggling with injuries and they've made major strides to improve the team over the summer.
I can see the Celtics winning, but I wouldn't be too surprised if the Knicks get the W. At the very least I expect this to be a close contest, especially with Kristaps Porzingis sitting out the game with an injury. The Knicks might need some time to gel with the arrivals of Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, but they will certainly be ready to fight on the opening night.
Boston Celtics under 114.5 total points
The Knicks were one of the best defensive teams last season, holding opponents to just 108.7 points per game. Of course, it won't be easy to contain the champions to that number, but I can see the Knicks keeping the Celtics to under 115 points.
Mikal Bridges to score 15+ points
As a new player on the team, Bridges will need some time to acclimate and adjust. That being said, Bridges has averaged 17+ points in the last four seasons in a row and while he won't be the main offensive weapon on the Knicks, he will cherish the space he gets by teams focusing on Towns and Brunson. So, Bridges scoring at least 15 points tonight sounds like a reasonable bet to me.
Celtics vs Knicks preview – teams news, injuries, and predicted lineups
The Celtics didn't make too many changes this offseason, which is understandable for a team coming off a championship run. The most notable addition to their roster was Lonnie Walker IV. While the Celtics have almost no injury issues, the one injury they have is their starting center Kristaps Porzingis.
The Celtics enter the 2024/2025 season after going 4-1 in the preseason.
Celtics starting lineup: Holiday, White, Brown, Tatum, Horford
The Knicks have made the biggest move of the summer when they traded for Karl-Anthony Towns, sending Donte DiVincenco, Julius Randle, and Keita Bates-Diop to Minnesota. They also traded for Mikal Bridges and resigned OG Anunoby, both of which were huge moves that make the Knicks a serious candidate for the title after many many years.
Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa are both out with injuries, so the Knicks will be thin under the basket to start the season. The Knicks went 4-1 in the preseason.
Knicks starting lineup: Brunson, Hart, Bridges, Anunoby, Towns
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