Celtics vs. Knicks prediction, odds, line, start time: 2023 NBA picks, Feb. 27 best bets from proven model

Atlantic Division rivals meet at Madison Square Garden on Monday evening. The Boston Celtics visit the New York Knicks with both teams enjoying success in recent days. Boston is 7-1 in the last eight games, improving to 44-17 overall, while New York is 35-27 overall after a five-game winning streak. The Knicks have a clean injury report for the game, while Jaylen Brown (personal reasons) is out for the Celtics.

Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET in New York. Caesars Sportsbook lists Boston as the 3-point favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 222.5 in the latest Celtics vs. Knicks odds. Before making any Knicks vs. Celtics picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four-plus seasons. The model exits the NBA All-Star break on a stunning 55-30 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,100. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Celtics vs. Knicks and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Knicks vs. Celtics:

• Celtics vs. Knicks spread: Celtics -3
• Celtics vs. Knicks over/under: 222.5 points
• Celtics vs. Knicks money line: Celtics -145, Knicks +122
• BOS: The Celtics are 16-14 against the spread in road games
• NYK: The Knicks are 13-16-3 against the spread in home games
• Celtics vs. Knicks picks: See picks at SportsLine

Featured Game | New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics

Why the Celtics can cover

While the team’s offensive performance turns heads, the Celtics are also stout on defense. Boston ranks in the top three of the NBA in offensive efficiency, and the Celtics are threatening to any opponent on that end of the floor. However, Boston is also in the top five of the league in defensive efficiency, yielding only 1.11 points per possession. The Celtics lead the NBA in free throw prevention, allowing only 21.0 free throw attempts per game, and Boston is also No. 1 with a 75.2% defensive rebound rate. 

That leads to only 12.7 second-chance points allowed per game, and Boston is in the top eight of the NBA in field goal percentage allowed (46.7%), points allowed in the paint (48.1 per game) and blocked shots (5.2 per game). The Celtics should also be able to limit assists in this matchup, as the Knicks generate the fewest assists of any team in the league (22.4 per game) and Boston is in the top three in giving up only 23.0 assists per contest.

Why the Knicks can cover

New York is enjoying tremendous offensive success this season. The Knicks are scoring 115.9 points per 100 possessions, ranking in the top eight of the NBA in efficiency. New York is also fantastic on the offensive glass, leading the league with 17.1 second-chance points per game and securing more than 32% of missed shots. The Knicks boost efficiency with elite ball security, committing a turnover on fewer than 13% of offensive possessions and committing the fewest live-ball turnovers (6.0 per game) in the NBA. 

The Knicks also generate 25.5 free throw attempts per game, No. 6 in the league, and New York has key defensive strengths. The Knicks lead the NBA in points allowed in the paint (45.0 per game), and New York is firmly in the top five of the league in field goal percentage allowed (45.5%) and fast break points allowed (12.5 per game).

How to make Knicks vs. Celtics picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 229 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Celtics vs. Knicks? And which side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.