Celtics vs Knicks Picks and Prediction – 5/12/2025

In the first game of a Monday night NBA on ESPN playoff doubleheader, the Boston Celtics will battle the New York Knicks from Madison Square Garden. For other NBA action see our NBA Predictions. The second-seeded Celtics (1-2) dropped the first two games of this best-of-seven series on their home floor and rank first during the postseason in defensive efficiency. In Game Three, Boston raced out to a 16-point lead after one quarter and cruised to a 115-93 road triumph. 

Payton Pritchard led five Boston players in double figures with 23 points on 8-for-16 shooting in 35 minutes off the bench. All-Star F Jayson Tatum contributed 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. All-Star G Jaylen Brown added 19 points and six assists for the Celtics.  

The New York Knicks won 27 of 41 home games during the regular season, but are just 1-3 at home in the playoffs. The third-seeded Knicks rank third in defensive efficiency and are allowing 105.5 points per contest. During Saturday’s home loss, New York missed 20 of 25 three-point attempts and trailed by as many as 31 points. 

NBA Clutch Player of the Year Jalen Brunson tallied a game-high 27 points on 9-for-21 shooting and dished out seven assists. All-Star F/C Karl-Anthony Towns missed 13 of 18 field goal attempts and finished with 21 points. Josh Hart added ten points and six rebounds for the Knicks. 

Boston C Kristaps Porzingis (illness) played just 19 minutes on Saturday and scored five points. The Celtics nailed half of their 40 three-point attempts to get back into this series, while the Knicks shot an ice cold 40 percent overall. Take New York to play much better at home and seize a 3-1 series lead. Final Score Prediction, New York Knciks win 110-99.