The Boston Celtics will open up the 2024-25 NBA season when they host the New York Knicks on Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024. These two teams are the two favorites to win the Eastern Conference and have razor-tight odds in the season opener. Boston will be raising their banner from their 2024 championship in front of a loud home crowd.
The Boston Celtics are the slight favorites on the NBA odds, and there will be many expert picks for them to win the first NBA game of the season. For the visitors, New York has been very active in the offseason, retooling its roster in an attempt to bring home the city’s first championship since 1973. There are a variety of insights available for the first NBA game this year, and make sure you double-check the NBA odds before making your predictions for this mouth-watering matchup.
Matchup: Knicks vs Celtics Overview
- Teams: New York Knicks at Boston Celtics
- Date: Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024
- Time: Tip-off is at 7:30 PM EST
- Venue: TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts
Win Probabilities:
The Boston Celtics are the favorites to win the first NBA game of the season, with a win probability of 63.01%. The visiting New York Knicks have a win probability of 36.99% in the first NBA game of the regular season.
Projected Final Score:
Using expert picks and insights, the projected final score for this NBA matchup is Boston Celtics 114-110 New York Knicks.
Knicks vs Celtics Odds
| New York Knicks | Boston Celtics | |
| Moneyline | +155 | -210 |
| Spread | +5 (-115) | -5 (-115) |
The NBA odds for the first game have the Boston Celtics favored to beat the New York Knicks at home. The Celtics are the defending NBA champions, and home court could be a real difference maker in this matchup. The total is set at 223 points, as both of these teams have high-level scorers capable of running up the scoreboard.
| Over 223 Points | Under 223 Points |
| -115 | -115 |
Expert Prediction: Who Wins?
Why the New York Knicks Could Win
The New York Knicks have a dramatically retooled roster and an excellent chance at upsetting the NBA odds en route to an opening-night victory. Head coach Tom Thibodeau has instilled a strong defense, and the team has a variety of scoring options both in the starting lineup and off the bench.
Jalen Brunson has only improved with each passing month in the Knicks uniform, and he will have a dominant game against the Celtics. Brunson scored 36.5 PPG against the Celtics in 2024 and has the ability to lead his team to victory.
The new arrivals to New York, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, will look to make an instant impact, and there is no better time to do so than in their first game against the reigning champions. Bridges will be matched up against Derrick White, which will allow him to use his length on the perimeter.
Towns will need to play heavy minutes after the Knicks lost their two centers due to free agency and a long-term injury to Mitchell Robinson. Towns can not only pound home the ball in the paint but also rain down shots from behind the arc. Towns has been criticized for his lack of effort in the past, but that won’t be an issue as he looks to make a positive impact with his new team.
The Knicks are underdogs in this matchup, but their strong defense and balanced scoring could allow them to pull off the win. New York lacks depth off the bench, but that is less of a concern in the early stages of the season. Expect the starters to play heavy minutes, making the Knicks an excellent NBA prediction.
Why the Boston Celtics Could Win
The Celtics are the favorites to win based on a variety of factors. First, they were dominant at home last season, going 37-4 in the regular season. They are at home in this NBA matchup, which will make them favorites to win against any NBA team. Not only that, but the Celtics won the NBA championship last season and will get their banner raised into the historic rafters of TD Garden on Tuesday.
On the court, Boston has a dangerous duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to lead the offense. Tatum and Brown both scored 23+ PPG last season and were key to the Celtics championship run. Tatum and Brown will lead the offense, but Jrue Holiday’s defensive impact will allow them to beat the New York Knicks.
Holiday is the best perimeter defender in the league and has gelled nicely with his teammates in Boston. His ability to contribute on both ends of the court makes him irreplaceable in the Celtics. He will be tasked with slowing down Brunson, and if he can do that successfully, the Celtics will win this game.
Overall, Boston is the better team on both ends of the court, allowing them to win far more games than they lose this season. New York has the potential to pull off an upset, but the Celtics are simply too deep and too talented to allow that to happen. A boisterous TD Garden will erupt with delight when the final buzzer sounds.
How to Make New York Knicks vs Boston Celtics Picks
In order to make your free New York Knicks vs Boston Celtics picks, you will need to visit Sportzino. Sportzino is the perfect destination to make your NBA predictions this season, and this upcoming matchup promises to deliver fireworks. You can make free NBA predictions using expert picks on the moneyline, total, spread, and player props. There is always something special about the first NBA game of the season, and these two teams can both dominate the league this season.
