Knicks vs. Celtics prediction, odds, betting preview, start time: NBA picks, best bets on Friday, Oct. 23
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Best bets and betting preview for Celtics vs. Knicks on Friday
• 2 min read
The 2026-27 NBA opening week continues with the Boston Celtics hosting the New York Knicks in an Eastern Conference showdown on Friday night. The defending NBA champion Knicks and a Celtics team always in the championship mix look to bounce back from opening night losses on Tuesday. The Celtics are 2.5-point home favorites in the latest Knicks vs. Celtics odds, with the over/under at 223.5 points. Claim the Kalshi promo code CBSSPORTS55 here now and get a $55 bonus after $25 in trades:
Tipoff for Celtics vs. Knicks is set for 7 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. SportsLine's proven computer model has analyzed Knicks vs. Celtics and revealed its Celtics vs. Knicks prediction, and you can also read our NBA betting preview for Friday's matchup. Claim the latest Polymarket promo code CBSSPORTS to get a $25 bonus after $10 in trades:
Knicks vs. Celtics betting preview
Opening Night for the defending champions is always a chaotic evening, with the pomp and circumstance around the ring ceremonies, banner raising and overall looking back at the year that was. On Friday, it's strictly about on-court basketball for the Knicks in Boston after their 106-100 loss to the 76ers on Opening Night. The Knicks returned nearly their entire rotation from last year's championship squad, led by the duo of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Boston lost its opener to the Pistons, 121-113, on the road in the first glimpse at the new-look Celtics after they traded Jaylen Brown to the 76ers. Boston's return included Paul George, who had 38 points against the Pistons. Jayson Tatum remains a force in Boston, although he struggled in the opener with 13 points on 6 of 23 shooting. The Celtics are 2.5-point home favorites on Friday, with the over/under at 223.5 points. Claim $200 in bonus bets and three free months of NBA League Pass after your first $5 wager at DraftKings here:
Celtics vs. Pistons picks, best bets
- Celtics -2.5 (-110)
- Josh Hart Over 7.5 rebounds (+109)
Celtics -2.5 (-110)
The Celtics went 30-11 at home last season, and split their two games with the Knicks in Boston. The Celtics are 5-2 in Boston over the last three years against the Knicks, and Friday is their home opener, so there should be a loud crowd behind them. Jayson Tatum shot 42% at home compared to 40% on the road last season. Boston had the NBA's best scoring defense at 107.2 points per game allowed last season. SportsLine's model has Boston covering the spread in 55% of simulations. Bet on Knicks vs. Celtics with the bet365 bonus code CBSBET365 and get $200 in bonus bets after betting $10:
Josh Hart Over 7.5 rebounds (+109)
Hart averages 8.3 rebounds per game over 173 career games with the Knicks, and he had seven rebounds in Tuesday's opener. He had 14 rebounds in his first game against Boston last season and averaged seven rebounds per game over four contests against the Celtics last year. He remains an integral part of New York's rebounding strategy, and at plus-money odds, the model sees nice value in Hart Over 7.5 rebounds on Friday. The model projects him for 8.3 rebounds against the Celtics. Use the BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS to get up to $1,500 in bonus bets when wagering on Celtics vs. Knicks:
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