The Boston Celtics start their title defense at home against the New York Knicks. The NBA odds are favoring the hosts, which is no surprise. Not only are they the defending champs, but they’ve been traditionally great at TD Garden.
However, the Knicks mustn’t be underestimated. After all, the last time they played against the Celtics in Boston, they beat them 118:109. Can they pull off another upset?
New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics Odds
| Moneyline | Odds |
|---|---|
| New York Knicks | +175 |
| Boston Celtics | -210 |
| Spread | Odds |
|---|---|
| New York Knicks +5.5 | -110 |
| Boston Celtics -5.5 | -110 |
| Points | Odds |
|---|---|
| Over 224 | -105 |
| Under 224 | -115 |
475 players claimed the offer this month
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts
- Date: Tuesday, October 22, 2024
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: TNT
New York Knicks Confident of a Successful Season
The New York Knicks roster for the 2024-25 season looks really good. Most of their key men from the last season are still around, while they’ve also made some big acquisitions in the offseason.
The biggest addition to the Knicks’ roster is Karl-Anthony Towns, a 4-time NBA All-Star, who joined the Knicks from Minnesota. As a Timberwolves center, KAT averaged 21.8 points per game last season, along with 3.0 assists and 8.3 rebounds. That’s pretty much on pair with Julius Randle, who’s moved the other way around – from New York to Minnesota.
The Knicks also signed Mikal Bridges who came from the Brooklyn Nets. Famous for his defensive output, the 28-year-old shooting guard’s job is to make the Knicks defense even better than last year when their average of conceded points was 108.7.
Boston Celtics Offense Looking Incredible
The roster that won the Celtics the NBA Championship earlier this year is pretty much unchanged. All of Boston’s key men are still there, meaning that we can expect more of the same from them.
Sportsbooks see them as the No. 1 favorites to win the trophy again in 2025, with the odds being -225. Ahead of the start of the season, they’re the only team with minus-money odds, which shows how much faith bookies have in Joe Mazzulla’s men.
Speaking of odds, they’re also favored to beat the Knicks on Thursday evening. Their superb roster led by Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and others is the main reason behind this.
Another reason is that the 2024-25 season opener is played at TD Garden, where the Celts went 37-4 last season. What’s interesting, however, is that one of those four losses happened to the Knicks.
New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics Prediction
Defending champions tend to do well on the opening night of the season, and we don’t think the Celtics will be an exception. Our prediction is that they’re going to win the season opener, but we’re not 100% sure they’re going to cover the 5.5-point spread.
Pick: Boston Celtics
