adam-williams/" target="_blank">adam-williams/&source=gmail&ust=1746520461685000&usg=AOvVaw04ryKw-BXafIoxEgXOPNiF" href="https://legalbet.uk/expert/adam-williams/">adam-williams/" target="_blank">Adam Williams presents his prediction for the NBA match.
The Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks wrapped up the regular season neck-and-neck, finishing second and third respectively in the Eastern Conference standings. However, heading into Game 1, the Celtics are widely seen as strong favourites due to their dominant regular-season record in this matchup — they won all four encounters (0-4).
Boston Celtics
The main concern for the Celtics had been the fitness of Jrue Holiday, who missed the final three games of the first-round series against the Orlando Magic. He is now available, which is a major boost for the squad, as Holiday plays a central role in perimeter defence and will be tasked with limiting the impact of Jalen Brunson. During the regular season, the Celtics are difficult to disrupt by focusing on one player. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both averaging eight or more made field goals per game in the playoffs, while Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard is shooting an exceptional 50% from beyond the arc.
New York Knicks
Defensive struggles have plagued the Knicks in their contests against the Boston Celtics. The defensive setup is built to collapse on pick-and-roll plays and limit easy finishes at the rim, but that approach often leaves three-point shooters unmarked. In this particular matchup, the Knicks have given up an average of 21 made three-pointers per game, with the Boston Celtics converting them at an impressive 43.5% rate. The Celtics’ average scoring output in those games was a remarkable 125 points per game — a statistic that, even by playoff standards, is unsustainably high.
Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks Prediction
Across the entire season, the Boston Celtics only scored more points against three other teams: the Indiana Pacers, the Phoenix Suns, and the Portland Trail Blazers. Furthermore, the New York Knicks concluded their previous series slightly later, meaning the coaching staff had less time to make meaningful defensive adjustments. As a result, two betting markets are particularly attractive: the handicap and the home side’s individual scoring total.
