by
There are few better rivalries in the NBA than the one between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks. These two teams don’t like one another and fans are dreaming of them facing off in the postseason this spring. Before that happens, though, these two sides are ready for what should be a fun regular season matchup. With that said, the Celtics are ready to try and take down the Knicks on Saturday night. Who will end up coming out on top?
It has been a memorable season thus far for both teams, as they’re looking like locks to not only make the playoffs, but also make a ton of noise. The Knicks have been brilliant, especially when they play Madison Square Garden. With this game being played in Manhattan, local fans are hopeful that Jalen Brunson and Co. will be able to put on a show under the bright New York City lights. Brunson has been one of the best players in the Eastern Conference.
| NY vs. Boston odds |  |  |  |
| Celtics to win | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Knicks to win | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Over 220 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under 220 points | -110 | -110 | -110 |
However, you can make the argument that Boston star Jayson Tatum is the No. 1 player out East. Tatum has been fantastic and a ton of fun to watch. Thanks to his brilliant play, along with Jaylen Brown, Boston has the best record in the Eastern Conference and they actually have the top mark in the NBA as a whole. Plenty of people have tried to doubt this team, but Boston has made people look foolish in recent weeks. They’ll hope to silence more people this weekend.
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, the Celtics hold -110 NBA betting odds to post a win against New York on Saturday. The Knicks, the home side, hold +125 NBA betting odds. From our chair, this one really could go either way, especially since the contest will be played at MSG. However, Boston continues to prove they’re playing on a different level. Because of that, we’re going with the Celtics as our pick.
the wait is over, hoops are back ππ½ pic.twitter.com/f5Fuf2bAHw
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 22, 2024
Boston still holds the top NBA title odds
With the second half of the season here, Boston still holds the top NBA title odds. As we mentioned above, the Celtics have been unreal to watch this year and they’re fully living up to the hype. Last season, Boston had a disappointing end to the season, as it looked like they were going to have a team fit enough to capture the glory. Instead, they had to watch Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets celebrate in style.
With that said, Boston has been on a total tear this year and plenty of insiders and experts think they’ll be able to come out on top this season. That’s not going to be easy, as Denver, Philly and other teams are looking like serious threats too. The Celtics have a ton of superstar talent, however, so people are thrilled to see what can be done in the coming months. Tatum knows he’s going to have to step his game up down the stretch.
.@jaytatum0 debuted the Tatum 2 βSidewalk Chalkβ at the 2024 #NBAAllStar Game… As voted on by Jordan x NBA ID members! @Jumpman23 pic.twitter.com/oVqauQvztb
— NBA (@NBA) February 19, 2024
βIt was never about the money and the cars and being famous or that lifestyle,β said Tatum in a recent interview on his passion for the sport and being one of the best players in the NBA this season. βI truly love the game because I love basketball, not for all the things that come with it. Thereβs a lot of people that play the game and get caught up in the lifestyle and choose that over the game.β
As you can see from that quote, Tatum is quite humble and he’s ready to remind everyone of how good he can be. Once the playoffs get here, Tatum and Brown will look to be one of the best duos in the league. If they keep playing so strong, then there’s a great chance Boston can win the NBA Finals. They hold +350 NBA Finals betting odds, tops for all teams. It will be interesting to see how things go down here, but something tells us Boston will be in a great spot to win it all.
Can Jayson Tatum go on to win NBA MVP?
A big question Boston fans have on their minds is can Jayson Tatum go on to win NBA MVP? That’s something that could end up happening, as he holds +2200 betting odds at this point and time. However, if he helps push the Celtics the rest of the way and impresses even more during the playoffs, then those odds should definitely go up. Tatum plays with a ton of swagger and confidence, which is why we can’t rule him out here.
However, Jokic has the top NBA odds to win MVP and it’s going to be pretty tough to try and bring him down. The Nuggets also hold strong Finals odds, which could complicate things for Tatum if he’s dreaming of capturing this high individual honor. Jokic is a star player, but Tatum is without question at the top level too. While our gut tells us Jokic will win MVP, we wouldn’t be stunned if Tatum takes it home too.
