The Boston Celtics face a must-win Game 6 against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, as they attempt to overcome a 3-2 series deficit without injured superstar Jayson Tatum (Achilles).
Despite losing their leading scorer, the Celtics showed remarkable resilience in Game 5's dominant 127-102 victory, led by Derrick White's explosive 34-point performance and Jaylen Brown's elevated playmaking.
The Knicks, looking to close out the series at home and advance to face the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, will rely on Jalen Brunson's playoff scoring prowess (29.4 PPG) and their physical defense to neutralize Boston's shorthanded attack.
New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics prediction: who will win?
For tonight's New York Knicks vs Boston Celtics matchup, our predictive model gives the Knicks a 70.33% chance of defeating the Celtics.
Pre-game probabilities
New York Knicks
Moneyline
Win %
70.33%
29.67%
Boston Celtics
New York Knicks: 70.33% win probability
- Strong home court advantage (51-31 overall record indicates solid performance on their home court)
- Consistent defensive efficiency (9158 goals against, 3rd best in Eastern Conference)
- Positive momentum heading into the matchup (Recent form of WLLLW shows they've won their most recent game)
Boston Celtics: 29.67% win probability
- Inconsistent recent performance (WWLWW form shows volatility on the road)
- Defensive lapses against top Eastern teams (Despite allowing only 8787 goals, they struggle against playoff-caliber opponents)
- Historical road struggles against New York (The Celtics' 61-21 record suggests they lose a higher percentage of games on the road than at home)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model brings together insights from top NBA experts.
Instead of searching through countless expert analyses online, you can rely on our predictions to capture the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing expert picks, data, and trends, while our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. These confidence levels are then averaged to generate an 'expert opinion' win probability—providing a data-driven reflection of the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NBA analysts.
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New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics preview
The Knicks stand on the precipice of a monumental upset as they host the defending champion Celtics in Game 6 with a chance to close out the series at Madison Square Garden.
Boston faces an uphill battle after losing superstar Jayson Tatum to a devastating Achilles tear, though they showed remarkable resilience in Game 5's 127-102 blowout win to stay alive.
Derrick White has elevated his game in Tatum's absence, exploding for 34 points in their last outing while Jaylen Brown has shouldered additional playmaking duties with 26 points and 12 assists.
For New York, Jalen Brunson continues to orchestrate their attack with 29.4 points per game this postseason, though Josh Hart unexpectedly led the scoring in Game 5 with 24 points.
The Garden promises an electric atmosphere as Tom Thibodeau's seven-man rotation—fatigued but determined—looks to capitalize on their best opportunity to advance rather than face the prospect of a Game 7 in Boston.
The winner moves on to face Indiana with home-court advantage, adding another layer of stakes to what's become one of the most compelling series of these playoffs.
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