Celtics vs. Knicks Game 4: Can Underdogs Upset the Odds and Shift the Series Momentum?

There’s something electric in the air tonight at Madison Square Garden, as the Boston Celtics (61-21) head into New York to face off against the Knicks (51-31) in a make-or-break Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. After carving up the Knicks defense in Game 3 with a blistering 115-93 victory, the Celtics, led by Payton Pritchard’s sharp shooting and a scorching 50% from beyond the arc, look poised to keep the pressure on. Meanwhile, the Knicks, despite solid scoring from Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, have struggled to find rhythm, especially from deep, which could haunt them once again on their home court. With Boston boasting a strong 33-8 record away from home and a healthy point differential, and New York hoping to capitalize on their recent home success, tonight promises high stakes, gritty basketball, and plenty of drama. Stick around here for your full breakdown—where to catch tipoff, how the odds are lining up, who’s trending, and of course, our top picks based on deep dive analytics and insider knowledge. This is more than just a game—it’s a chess match with the conference finals waiting on the other side. LEARN MORE.

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!The Celtics are currently 33-8 on the road with a point differential of 9, while the Knicks have a 6-4 record in their last ten games at home. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
– Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
– Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
– Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)The Celtics bounced back in Game 3 with a 115-93 win in New York thanks to a quick start. Boston built a 36-20 lead after the first quarter and maintained that double-digit lead for the entirety of the game. Payton Pritchard led the way for the Celtics with 23 points, while Boston as a team went 20-for-40 from three (50%). For New York, Jalen Brunson (27 points) and Karl-Anthony Towns (21 points) were the only Knicks above 12 points as the team struggled with 20% from three and 40% from the field.

Game details & how to watch Celtics vs. Knicks live today

• Date: Monday, May 12, 2025
• Time: 7:30 PM EST
• Site: Madison Square Garden
• City: New York, NY
• Network/Streaming: ESPN

It’s Monday, May 12, and the Boston Celtics (61-21) and New York Knicks (51-31) are all set to square off from Madison Square Garden in New York for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Game odds for Celtics vs. Knicks

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

• Odds: Celtics (-253), Knicks (+205)
• Spread: Celtics -6.5
• Over/Under: 209 points

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

Expert picks & predictions for Monday’s Celtics vs. Knicks game

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes Mikal Bridges to go Over his 13.5 points prop:

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.That gives the Celtics an implied team point total of 106.83, and the Knicks 103.43.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Celtics & Knicks game:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Boston Celtics on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the New York Knicks at +6.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 209.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Celtics vs. Knicks on Monday

• The Celtics are on a 5-game win streak at the Knicks
• The Under is 49-40 in the Knicks’ home games and the Celtics’ road games combined this season
• The Knicks have covered in 4 of their last 5 matchups against divisional opponents
• The Celtics have failed to cover in 33 of their 60 matchups against Eastern Conference teams this season

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!“Mikal Bridges had his strongest offensive performance of the series in Game 3. Bridges scored 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting after scoring 14 points on 6-of-18 in Game 2. In Game 1, Bridges had eight points on 3-of-13 from the field, so he is getting more efficient, and part of that is getting more confident and figuring out you’re being defended. With Game 4 being so pivotal in how this series will go, I like Bridges to be aggressive and go Over his 13.5 points prop.”The latest odds as of Monday: