Date & Time: Sunday, Feb. 23, 1:00 PM ET
Venue: TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
Where to watch: Stream on ABC
Our Prediction: Boston 122, New York 108
Odds: Celtics -115, Cavaliers +300, Knicks +500
The New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics will renew their rivalry on Sunday, February 23, in an exciting Atlantic Division showdown at TD Garden. The Celtics have notched a pair of lopsided wins over the Knicks this season, and have a 6-1 card in their past seven outings against New York.
New York is paced by All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony-Towns. Brunson is ranked ninth in the league with 26.1 points per game, and posted 36 points in a 131-104 setback to Boston on Feb. 8. Anthony-Towns is averaging more than 24 points but was limited to just nine points two weeks ago in 27 minutes of action.
Boston is led by All-Star Jayson Tatum, who poured in 40 points during the Celtics blowout victory earlier this month. The 2023 NBA All-Star Game MVP leads his team in points (27), assists (5.6), and rebounds (8.7). Another All-Star, Jaylen Brown, averages 22.9 points and six boards while serving as the team's defensive specialist. Whether you're backing Boston’s high-powered offense or New York’s All-Star duo to pull off an upset, top NBA sportsbooks offer a variety of betting options to enhance the experience. From point spreads to player props, there's plenty of ways to stay engaged with this classic rivalry.
The reigning NBA champion Celtics (-115) continue to have the best odds to capture their third Eastern Conference title in four years. However, the Cleveland Cavaliers (+300) and the Knicks (+500) remain in the hunt for the top prize in the East according to some of New York’s trusted sportsbooks.
• C Mitchell Robinson (Ankle) - Out
• G Tyler Kolek (Ankle) - Questionable
• F OG Anunoby (Foot) - Questionable
• F Kevin McCullar Jr (Knee) - Questionable
• G Pacome Dadiet (Toe) - Questionable
• G Miles McBride (Ribs) - Questionable
The Knicks are humming on offense and are on pace for 55 wins, which would be their most victories since 1997. Although Brunson and Anthony-Towns are the offensive leaders, New York has an array of talent capable of challenging Boston and Cleveland for supremacy in the Eastern Conference.
Brunson, aka Captain Clutch, has guided the Knicks to a 9-2 record in close games within five points or less in the final five minutes. The former Villanova standout, who is shooting 49.2% from the field and 39.7% behind the three-point line, is excited about the direction the team is headed in.
"It's been fun," Brunson said. "It's been a steady process throughout every game. It's been fun to go through this journey with the guys we have. I've enjoyed every second of it."
Anthony-Towns is thriving in his first season in the Big Apple. The seven-footer has averaged 24.7 points per game with a career-high 13 rebounds and an impressive 43% from beyond the three-point arc. While Towns is enjoying success in New York, he remains focused on winning the ultimate prize.
"Of course, you always want better. So never satisfied," Towns said. "But I'm just happy that I was able to implement myself into the team and that it resulted in winning. You guys were telling me the stats of having the best record going into the All-Star break since
Shooting guard Josh Hart is averaging career highs in minutes, assists, rebounds, field-goal percentage, and free-throw percentage, while forward Mikal Bridges is averaging 17.7 points, 3.3 assists, and 3.1 boards in his maiden season with the Knicks.
OG Anunoby (16.4 points) missed the final five games before the break because of a sprained foot, and Miles McBride (9 points) remains the top guard off the bench despite missing time with a hamstring strain.
Knicks star center Mitchell Robinson is close to making his first appearance of the season after having foot surgery last spring. The 26-year-old Florida native averaged 5.6 points and 8.5 rebounds in 31 games in the 2023-24 season.
"I'm just taking it day by day the best that I can, just trying to get to 100 percent," Robinson said. "That's my main goal. I'm going to do whatever it takes to get there so that it doesn't happen again."
C Karl-Anthony Towns
F Josh Hart
F OG Anunoby
G Jalen Brunson
G Mikal Bridges
• C Xavier Tillman Sr (Knee) - Questionable
• F Jaylen Brown (Knee) - Questionable
• G Jrue Holiday (Shoulder) - Questionable
Tatum is the go-to guy in Boston and the key to the Celtics' championship aspirations. The soon-to-be 27-year-old finished as the highest scorer in the All-Star Game mini-tournament with 21 points, including 3-of-5 from behind the three-point line.
"The format was cool," Tatum said. "I think the toughest part, they stopped the game to do the presentation while we were kind of halfway through it. We were sitting down for 20 minutes, whatever it was. It was kind of tough to get back into the game after that."
Brown scored eight consecutive points in Team Shaq's Game 1 victory and finished the night with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting, two rebounds, and one steal. The defensive specialist also reiterated his claim as being the Celtics' unofficial team captain.
"One, I'm the longest-tenured Celtic. I've been here the longest, so even though we don't necessarily have it written down, the team moves to the things me and Jayson do," Brown recently told CLNS Media's Bobby Manning. "I feel like my team relies on me to be the leader, the vocal leader. I've taken that role, and defensively, being the head of the snake, taking on those matchups, my team feeds off that."
Jrue Holiday is shooting 34.2 percent from behind the arc after connecting on 42.9 percent on 3-pointers last season and leading the NBA in corner 3-point percentage. The 34-year-old is averaging 11 points, 3.7 assists, and 4.4 boards.
Kristaps Porzingis is averaging 19.4 points and seven boards, while Derrick White tallies 16.1 points, 4.3 assists, and 4.2 rebounds each game. Sixth Man of the Year favorite Payton Pritchard continues to impress. The 2020 first-round pick averages 13.8 points and 3.5 assists, including 41.1 percent from behind the three-point line.
C Jayson Tatum
F Jaylen Brown
C Kristaps Porziņģis
G Derrick White
G Jrue Holliday
The Celtics lead the all-time series 337-212 and have won six of the past seven meetings:
• 02/08/2025: Boston won 131-104 in New York
• 10/22/2024: Boston won 132-109 in Boston
• 04/11/2024: Knicks won 118-109 in Boston
• 02/24/2024: Boston won 116-102 in New York
• 12/08/2023: Boston won 133-123 in Boston
