New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics Game 5 Prediction, NBA Playoff Odds
Game 4 was essentially worse case scenario for the defending NBA champs. Not only did Boston drop the game 121-113 to fall behind 3-1 in their second-round series against the Knicks, but they lost superstar Jayson Tatum to a devastating injury that will likely keep him out of the lineup well into next season.
With their backs against the wall, the Celtics return home for Game 5 as 4.5-point favourites to win on the NBA odds, with the total set at 207.5.
Knicks vs. Celtics NBA Betting Odds
Prior to the start of the series, few people would be surprised if you told them this could end in five games, but it’s hard to believe anyone thought it would be the Knicks with the chance to move on. New York, who have covered the spread in six straight road games, now have three shots to punch their ticket to the conference finals for the first time since 2000.
What a difference a game makes. For the first time in this series, the Knicks are favoured to win (-650) on the NBA futures board, while Boston is a +475 underdog. For context, even entering Game 4, the Celtics were still heavy -325 series favourites.
Oddsmakers clearly know the history of the situation Boston is in at the moment. The Celtics will need to match the biggest comeback in NBA history to win this series, something that has only happened 13 times.
The NBA championship odds have also significantly shifted. Boston now has the second-longest championship odds at +3000 (was +225 before Game 4) and New York has the second-shortest championship odds at +500 (+2000 before Game 4).
New York Knicks
Don’t let Tatum’s injury overshadow the Knicks’ performance in Game 4 as they had already secured another fourth quarter comeback when Tatum went down. New York heavily outscored the Celtics in the second half, with four players finishing the game with 20-plus points. Jalen Brunson led the way with a game-high 39 points and 12 assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges each added 23 points. OG Anunoby bounced back from two poor performances to chip in 20 points. The third quarter was the turning point as Brunson scored 18 points and the Knicks outscored Boston 37-23.
Boston Celtics
The Celtics received a playoff-high 42 points from Jayson Tatum before a devastating injury ended his season. Tatum has already had surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon that will end his season. Boston hasn’t given a timeline for his return, but when Kevin Durant tore his Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals he ended up missing the entire following season. It’s a massive blow for the Celtics as the 27-year-old Tatum leads the team in points (28.1), rebounds (11.5) and assists (5.4) per game for the second straight postseason. Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard likely have what it takes to steal a home game, but it’s tough to see a scenario in which Boston comes back to win this series.
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