The Boston Celtics aim to tie their 2025 NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series against the New York Knicks when the teams meet for Game 6 on Friday night. Boston successfully fended off elimination by winning Game 5 with a final score of 127-102. The second-seeded Celtics, who are the reigning NBA champions, are striving to reach the conference finals for the fourth consecutive season.
Meanwhile, the third-seeded Knicks are looking to advance to the conference finals for the first time since the 1999-00 season, having been knocked out in the Eastern Conference semifinals in each of the past two years. The Knicks might be without Precious Achiuwa, who is currently listed as questionable due to an ankle injury.
The upcoming game is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Historically, the Knicks have held an edge over Boston in the postseason, winning seven of their last 11 playoff matchups. A detailed projection model has simulated this game multiple times to offer insights into the potential outcome.
For the Knicks, point guard Jalen Brunson stands out as a key offensive threat. He has been a consistent high scorer, contributing 22 points and six assists in the recent Game 5 loss and recording a double-double with 39 points and 12 assists in the Game 4 win. Throughout the playoffs, Brunson has averaged an impressive 29.4 points, 7.8 assists, and 3.7 rebounds.
Center Karl-Anthony Towns also provides significant scoring and rebounding for New York. He is averaging a double-double in the postseason with 19.6 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. Towns posted 23 points and 11 rebounds in the Game 4 victory and had a strong 21-point, 17-rebound performance in Game 2.
For the Celtics, the team is navigating the playoffs without small forward Jayson Tatum, who underwent surgery for a torn Achilles tendon and is out for the season. As a result, shooting guard Jaylen Brown has stepped up to shoulder more of the scoring load. Brown is averaging 22.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in the playoffs and delivered a notable performance in Game 5 with a double-double of 26 points and 12 assists, plus eight rebounds.
Point guard Derrick White was particularly effective in the Game 5 win, scoring a game-high 34 points in 40 minutes, in addition to three rebounds, three blocks, and two assists. White has been a reliable contributor throughout the playoffs, averaging 19.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
Based on extensive simulations, the projection model predicts the combined score for this matchup will be around 211 points and indicates a favored side on the point spread.
Jasper Hawthorne