The Boston Celtics, seeded second, aim to tie their best-of-seven 2025 NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series against the third-seeded New York Knicks in Game 6 on Friday evening. Boston staved off elimination by winning Game 5 with a score of 127-102, thanks to strong contributions from bench players Payton Pritchard and Luke Kornet. Pritchard scored 17 points, including five three-pointers, while Kornet had a versatile performance with 10 points, nine rebounds, and seven blocks.
With a 61-21 record, the Celtics hope to reach the conference finals for the fourth consecutive year. The Knicks (51-31), meanwhile, were eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals in both of the previous two seasons. Precious Achiuwa is questionable for the Knicks due to an ankle injury.
The game is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden in New York City. New York has won seven of the last 11 playoff matchups against Boston.
According to the latest odds, the Knicks are favored by 2.5 points. The over/under for total points is 211, up from the initial 209.5. On the moneyline, the Knicks are -145 favorites, while the Celtics are +122 underdogs. Before placing any bets on the Knicks vs. Celtics game, consult NBA predictions from projection models.
A notable projection model, which simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, has a strong track record, showing significant betting profit for its top picks over several seasons. This model enters the second week of the 2025 NBA playoffs conference semifinals on a sizzling roll with top-rated NBA picks and against-the-spread selections.
Why the Knicks Can Cover
Jalen Brunson, the Knicks` point guard, is a key offensive threat, averaging double-digit points along with four teammates. He scored 22 points and had six assists in the Game 5 loss. In the Game 4 win (121-113), he recorded a double-double with 39 points, 12 assists, and five rebounds. Across 11 playoff starts, he averages 29.4 points, 7.8 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in 39.5 minutes.
Center Karl-Anthony Towns is another scoring option for New York. He averages 19.6 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and one block in 35.8 minutes per game. He has achieved four double-doubles in the series, including 23 points and 11 rebounds in the Game 4 victory and 21 points and 17 rebounds in the narrow 91-90 win in Game 2.
Why the Celtics Can Cover
With small forward Jayson Tatum sidelined for the rest of the year after surgery on a torn left Achilles tendon, Boston relies on shooting guard Jaylen Brown to compensate for the scoring loss. In 10 playoff starts, Brown averages 22.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and one steal in 37.1 minutes. In the Game 5 win, he posted a double-double with 26 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds. He scored 20 points with seven rebounds and two assists in the Game 4 loss.
Point guard Derrick White delivered an outstanding performance in the Game 5 victory against New York. Playing 40 minutes, he scored 34 points, complemented by three rebounds, three blocks, and two assists. In Game 4, he contributed 23 points, three rebounds, and two assists. Across 10 playoff starts, he averages 19.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 38.5 minutes.
How to Make Picks
A projection model has simulated the Celtics vs. Knicks game 10,000 times. It predicts a total score leaning under 209 combined points. The model also indicates that one side of the point spread is successful in significantly more than 50% of simulations. Consult projection models and expert analysis to help inform your betting decisions for this game.
Note: This article is based on rephrased and translated information from a source that references a specific projection model and betting odds. Betting involves risk.
Jasper Hawthorne