New York has transitioned from a laughing-stock in the Eastern Conference to an incredible competitor seemingly overnight. They can close their season with three straight wins if they’re able to win one at home over Boston on Sunday. The last time these two faced the Knicks lost by just two points, but they were also the visiting team that night.
With the season coming to a close, both teams will be fighting for a win. Although their spot in the playoffs is guaranteed, a win here for either team will boost morale. The question becomes, who should you take at the sportsbook?
With four players questionable for Sunday, Jayson Tatum bears the Celtics burden
The tale of the Celtics season this year has been dealing with injuries, and with four of their best players questionable on Sunday, they could be in trouble. Jayson Tatum has obviously played a larger role and has been up to the challenge, recently with a win over the Timberwolves. However, leading up to that win, the Celtics had lost four games in a row, the most surprising being a 121-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
Over their last ten games, the Celtics have gone 4-6 against the spread. This is obviously due to the injuries they’ve had to play through, but you have to take it into account when betting here. The last time they faced the Knicks, they came away with a narrow win, but that was before the injury bug began to affect the Celtics.
The Knicks are on fire and can close their remarkable season with a win here
Who would’ve thought the Knicks would be the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference at the beginning of the season? The answer is not many; however, the New York Knicks look to be one of the strongest teams in the conference this year and will look to close with a win on Sunday. With Julius Randle leading the team and only one player missing from Sunday’s game, the Knicks are in great shape to win here.
Some might think that due to their history against the Celtics that Boston would be a better bet. The only trouble there is that Boston will be missing a lot of players on Sunday and only narrowly beat New York in April. A more accurate game to base your pick on is the game in January of 2021, where the Knicks beat Boston, 105-75.
Best team to take on Sunday: New York Knicks
Although the Boston Celtics showed resilience against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, we can’t count that as a notable win. The New York Knicks are much more prepared to capitalize on their final regular-season game. Bet on New York to win here, covering the spread, and finishing the season with a three-game win streak.
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