Manuel Chávez
Dailysports's expert
Boston Celtics
New York Knicks
On May 15, the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks will play their fifth meeting of the NBA playoff series. Here’s my betting pick for this matchup.
Boston Celtics
The reigning champions find themselves in a tough spot, trailing 1-3 in the series and having lost their leader. In the closing moments of Game 4—just three minutes before the final buzzer—Celtics’ star Jayson Tatum suffered an injury and had to be taken off the court in a wheelchair. The worst fears were confirmed: after surgery for a torn Achilles tendon, Tatum now risks missing the entire next season.
With such a blow, mounting a comeback will be extremely difficult. Brown is there, and White may step up, but even with their strongest lineup, Boston hasn’t impressed in this series. Defending the championship already seems like a near-impossible feat.
New York Knicks
The Knicks are in great form, just one step away from the Eastern Conference finals, though nothing has come easy for them. Even recalling their series against Detroit, the Pistons put up a strong fight, and one Knicks victory was shrouded in controversy—Detroit was denied three free throws after a foul at the buzzer when the margin was just one point.
Against the Celtics, the Knicks are showing their grit and determination to fight till the end, refusing to give up when many teams would have folded. Thanks to their resilience and will to win, they are now on the verge of knocking out the reigning champions. In their most recent victory, no fewer than four players scored at least 20 points.
Match facts
- Boston has 3 home wins and 2 losses in these playoffs.
- The Knicks have won all five of their playoff road games so far.
- The odds for the upcoming showdown: Boston win – 1.54, Knicks win – 2.55.
H2H
The series stands at 3-1 in favor of the Knicks, though it could easily have gone the other way—Boston led by 20 points in two games, only to let those leads slip away.
Prediction
Although the hosts are favorites, I wouldn’t rule out the series ending in this game. The Knicks have adapted to their opponent and know how to turn the tide at the crucial moment. I expect a tense contest and will take the risk of betting on the visitors with a +5.5 point spread.
