Knicks vs Celtics Picks & Odds For Oct. 22: Reigning Champs Favored

Opening night of the 2024-25 NBA regular season kicks off with a matchup between two powerhouses of the Eastern Conference in the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, with the Celtics entering as the 5.5-point favorites on the spread courtesy of our friends at FanDuel. 

Here's a look at all key betting odds and wagers as the reigning champions receive their rings and hoist their latest title banner on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.

New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics Betting Odds

Preview: New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics, 7:30 p.m. ET

Odds as of October 21, 2024 at FanDuel

New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics Expert Picks

Boston Celtics ATS -5.5 (-110), ML (-230)

During this run of parity where a new winner of the Larry O'Brien trophy has been crowned for six-straight seasons, when the champion opens the following season on their home floor, that team has gone 4-1 with an average margin of victory across the four wins of just over 13 points per game. The only defending champion that didn't win to begin the following campaign was the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021-22.

The Celtics went 4-1 versus the Knicks in 2023-24, only dropping the final meeting on April 11 by nine points, although five of the nine players who suited up for New York that evening are either no longer on the roster or aren't available due to injury. It also helps taking Boston across both the spread and moneyline remembering how dominant it was in its backyard last season, going 37-4 SU as one of only two teams in the East and five teams overall to prevail at least 30 times at home.

Yes, New York's offseason moves in re-signing O.G. Anunoby, trading for Mikal Bridges, and landing superstar forward Karl-Anthony Towns signalled loud and clear how its ready to challenge the Celtics for the top spot. They'll be dominant more often than not, and Tuesday will be a gauge as to how the roster currently stands against its greatest competition. It just won't happen as soon as it may like as a Kristaps Porzingis-less Boston is still the bar for excellence and won't be easily toppled, especially with banner No. 18 going up in the rafters.

OVER 223.5 Total Points (-112)

This point total would have been the second-highest mark between the Celtics and Knicks last season, with the two teams going OVER on two occasions but not consecutively. 

New York ranked in the bottom-third of the Association in connecting on the OVER last season at 37-45 (45.1 percent), while Boston was tied for the seventh-strongest overall mark at 43-39 (52.4 percent). We're riding with the OVER here as two imposing interior defenders in Porzingis and Mitchell Robinson won't be in uniform, which could present more scoring opportunities around the basket for the slew of elite guards and wings on the hardwood.

New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics Player Prop

Mikal Bridges OVER 14.5 Points (+102)

What's calling us to this prop more than anything is the plus money for Bridges to score at least 15 points in his regular season debut for the Knicks. These odds likely stem from his pedestrian preseason output in which he averaged 10.8 points in 26.8 minutes while shooting just over 41 percent from the field and converting just two of his 19 3-point attempts. 

There's no denying that Bridges wants to leave a good impression on such a grand stage, and New York will need that from him to stay competitive. He'll likely see a ton of minutes to defend the likes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, which should present plenty of scoring chances as his teammates in Towns and Jalen Brunson generate more of a focus from Boston's defense.

Many have pointed out that Bridges' jump shot appears to be broken, though, stemming from him changing his form over the summer. That's a storyline to keep tabs on moving forward, especially if his poor efficiency from the preseason carries over.

New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics Betting Trends