Celtics Knicks Game Preview

Game day: Friday, October 24, 2025

Game time: 7:30 p.m. ET

Location: New York City, New York

Arena: Madison Square Garden

TV channel: Amazon Prime Video

Betting Odds: Knicks +3.5, Over 229.5 (Courtesy of DraftKings)

Injuries: 

Celtics: Luke Garza OUT, Jayson Tatum OUT

Knicks: Mitchell Robinson OUT, Josh Hart QUESTIONABLE,  

Karl-Anthony Towns QUESTIONABLE, OG Anunoby PROBABLE 

Preview:

The Celtics aim to bounce back after a disappointing fourth-quarter collapse in their season opener against the 76ers. Some of the main concerns about the Celtics going into the season were evident in Wednesday night’s game. The Celtics showed they are vulnerable to quick, athletic guards who can create space on their own. Tyrese Maxey was able to move freely on the court and scored 40 points—including three crucial 3-pointers that helped the Sixers tie the game after being down 14 in the fourth quarter. 

The Celtics used a defensive approach focused on defending the paint and forcing turnovers. Although they managed to record 7 steals, this strategy also created several open three-point shots for the Sixers. Consequently, the Sixers outscored the Celtics by 15 points from three-point range, which in today’s NBA is hard to recover from.

The Knicks are coming off an impressive win at home over the Cavs. Coach Mike Brown, went 11 deep off his bench. Getting key contributions from Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, and Guerschon Yabusele. The scoring was balanced with Brunson and Anunoby leading the way with 24 and 23 points, respectively. This is a very deep Knicks team that is championship focused.

The Knicks present matchup issues across the board for the Celtics. Brunson's strength and ability to create space were issues for the fully loaded Celtics of 24-25, and will pose an even bigger challenge now. Towns' ability to shoot beyond the 3-point line will test Queta and present a new challenge for him early in this campaign. Guarding these Knicks will be a tough task for the Celtics. They will try to employ an aggressive ball-hawking strategy against the Knicks, which could lead to many open looks for a highly capable Knicks team.

Offensively, the Celtics should capitalize on their speed to attack the Knicks effectively. The Knicks are tall and emphasize their half-court defense, so the key will be to disrupt their rhythm early by quickly initiating plays and creating chaos before they can settle into their defensive sets. The Celtics have skilled guards and wings who can succeed with a fast-paced approach. Queta will remain vital with setting screens, rolling to the basket, and drawing help on his rolls, which can open up shooting opportunities. I anticipate that the Celtics' guards and wings will shoot and score more efficiently than they did Wednesday night against the Sixers.

Prediction: Knicks 119 Celtics 114

Best Bet: Over 229.5