Atlantic Division rivals New York Knicks and Boston Celtics will duke it out for one last time in the regular season, with the Knicks looking to win the series outright. Check out our preview of this marquee matchup below.

Catch this game live on Friday, April 10, 2026 at 7:30 AM, Manila time

Away: Boston Celtics (54-25, 26-14 Away)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Derrick White (Questionable)
  • Jaylen Brown (Questionable)
  • Sam Hauser (Questionable)
  • Jayson Tatum
  • Neemias Queta (Questionable)

Boston will look to snuff out the Knicks’ hopes of stealing the No. 2 seed. A win by the Celtics in this contest will officially secure them the No. 2 seat in the Eastern Conference standings. A lot of eyes will be on Jayson Tatum in this contest, as this marks his first game at Madison Square Garden since he suffered that devastating Achilles tendon injury there in 2025.

Tatum’s presence will be a big help for the Celtics, who did not have him in the lineup in the previous three meetings with the Knicks this season. Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Sam Hauser and Neemias Queta are all questionable for the MSG tilt at the time of this writing. 

Still, Boston is definitely a force to be reckoned with. It is on a four-game winning streak and has lost just twice in its last 13 outings.

Home: New York Knicks (51-28, 28-9 Home)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Jalen Brunson
  • Josh Hart
  • Mikal Bridges
  • OG Anunoby
  • Karl-Anthony Towns

The Knicks have picked up some steam again after a three-game losing skid. They are on the heels of three consecutive wins following a 108-105 takedown of the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday on the road. Brunson had 30 points, albeit on an 11/26 shooting against the Hawks, while Karl-Anthony Towns produced 21 points (9/12 FG) with 12 rebounds and six assists. 

Unlike the Celtics, New York has a healthy roster, with all key rotational pieces without injury designations. The Knicks dominated Boston the last time these teams met on Feb. 8 in Beantown, as New York leaned on Brunson’s 31 points and its defense to eke out a 111-89 victory. The Celtics shot just 17% from the perimeter in that contest.

The Knicks are 5-0 straight-up in their last five games as the home team.

Picks

Spread: New York Knicks (-4.5)

Over/Under: Under (215.0)