Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks

The Boston Celtics list Kristaps Porzingis, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum as questionable tonight, and Al Horford as out. Boston currently trails Cleveland by four games for the Eastern Conference leadership but must win all remaining games while the Cavs lose every match to secure first position. Boston holds an eight-game lead over the New York Knicks therefore their lowest standing would be second place although securing the top seed appears impossible.

The team has no motivation to play its key stars tonight.

Derrick White stands ready to receive significant court time and usage after several Celtics regulars remain unavailable. White normally needs a typical workday performance at the office to beat the over line due to his current averages of 16.4 points and 4.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists which totals 25.6 PRA.

White delivered a performance that exceeded his previous output by providing superior numbers since the All-Star break. He collected 24.6 PRA before the All-Star game and recorded 27.6 PRA afterward. The 26.8 PRA average he accumulated across his recent 10 road games led to nine Over wins for his bettors.

White crosses the Over threshold in his PRA total during 51 out of 74 games this season thus validating my anticipation for more favorable betting odds here. This discount provides a fantastic opportunity for bettors to target this prop. White has scored a minimum of 24 PRA points through 12 games from the last 13 and eight games from the last 13 straight games.

White's recent matchups against New York were profitable since the defense allowed him 30 PRA during their three meetings with multiple Over outcomes. His game finished with at least 24 PRA against East Division teams during nine of his fourteen matchups this season.

This prop gains extraordinary appeal through multiple factors including recent performance growth and better opportunities alongside an incorrectly priced line. Hammer the Over.

The Celtics have been dominant on the road this season, boasting an impressive 32-7 record. However, the Knicks have been nearly unstoppable at Madison Square Garden, winning 27 of their 39 home games. With key Boston players—including Brown, Tatum, Porzingis, and Horford—either injured or limited, the Celtics could struggle against a Knicks squad that just welcomed back Jalen Brunson.

While New York can’t overtake Boston for the No. 2 seed, they’re not yet locked into the No. 3 spot—they lead Indiana by just three games with four left to play. Given their health and extra motivation, I’m backing the Knicks to win at home and cover the two-point spread. Betting on New York to win outright is at -125 odds, but taking them to cover (-110) offers better value.

Another intriguing bet is Karl-Anthony Towns’ rebound prop at +105 odds. Despite averaging just under 13 rebounds per game this season, KAT has pulled down only 11.9 boards over his last eight games. Still, he’s hit the over on this line four times in that stretch and grabbed exactly 11 rebounds three other times—making this a solid value play.