New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics Game 2 Prediction, NBA Playoff Odds
The heavily favoured Celtics led by as many as 20 points in Game 1, but New York battled back to steal a 108-105 overtime win and secure a 1-0 series lead. Can Boston answer the bell in Game 2 on Wednesday, or will the Knicks pull off another miracle?
The Celtics are heavy 10.5-point favourites to win on the NBA odds, with the total pegged at 210.5.
Knicks vs. Celtics NBA Betting Odds
The last two games between these teams have needed extra time to solve, with Monday’s result snapping a four-game win streak in head-to-head action for Boston. The two overtime contests preceded three straight blowout wins for the Celtics, all decided by 13 or more points.
Monday’s upset hasn’t flipped the script on Boston being favoured to win the series on the NBA futures board, but it has dropped them from -800 on the series line ahead of Game 1 to -300 ahead of Game 2. New York entered the series as +550 underdogs, with that number moving to +240.
Oddsmakers think this thing will go the distance as the favoured exact series result is now the Celtics winning in seven games at +250. It’s not shocking to see the biggest long shot remains a Knicks sweep at +2500.
Jalen Brunson and Jaylen Brown remain the top favourites to lead the series in points, but suddenly there’s some value in taking OG Anunoby at +3000 after his game-high 29 points on Monday.
If you’re looking further down the line, Boston has the second-shortest odds to win the NBA championship at +225, trailing only OKC at +175. On the flip-side, New York has the second-longest championship odds at +2800, ahead of only the Pacers at +3500.
New York Knicks
The Knicks got a stellar performance out of Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby in Game 1, with each player putting up a game-high 29 points. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Josh Hart chipped in 14 points and 11 boards. It was a pretty remarkable comeback for New York, who trailed by 20 points at one point in the second half. Capitalizing on opportunities was the difference. The Knicks had a significantly better field goal percentage and 3-point percentage despite far less than attempts than Boston.
Boston Celtics
It was the usual dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading the way for the Celtics in Game 1. Both players finished with 23 points, while Tatum added 16 rebounds and six assists and Brown had seven boards and five dimes. Poor shooting, particularly from beyond the arc, sunk Boston. The Celtics set an NBA record with 45 missed 3s, finishing the day just 15-for-60 (25 per cent) from deep. It would be shocking to see that performance repeated in Game 2, so you should expect a big response from the defending champs.
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