In the first Friday night action of the 2025-26 NBA season, the New York Knicks will host the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden.
These two historic rivals squared off in the Eastern Conference Semifinals last postseason, with the Knicks shocking the second-seeded Celtics in six games.
Tonight’s matchup will be the first meeting between these teams since then, so there should be plenty of animosity between them.
With that in mind, let’s dive into my Celtics vs Knicks predictions and highlight some of my favorite NBA best bets today.
NBA Best Bets for Celtics vs Knicks
All NBA odds used for these best bets are current as of Friday, Oct. 24, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Knicks -3.5 (-110)
Looking at each team’s first game, I’m going to lean toward the Knicks at -3.5 to kick off my NBA best bets.
Against the 76ers, the Celtics committed 28 fouls and also shot just 11 of 43 (25.6%) from beyond the arc.
These high foul numbers could be a problem if they continue against the Knicks, as New York shot 86.1% from the free-throw line.
Remember, this is a Celtics team that’s without Jayson Tatum (who suffered a torn Achilles against the Knicks in the playoffs), Kristaps Porzingis, Luka Garza, and more.
It’s still early in the season, but based on the start of the season, I’ll take the Knicks. If you’d feel more comfortable taking something that’s not the point spread, New York as a home favorite at -175 is among the best NBA moneyline bets today.
Now, let’s check out some of my best NBA prop bets today.
Jalen Brunson 28+ Points (-119)
Next up for my best NBA bets tonight, I’m looking toward Jalen Brunson.
Across 34 minutes against the Cleveland Cavaliers to start the season, Brunson scored 23 points, but it had the potential to be far more. He had a field goal percentage of just 27.8% (5 of 18) and also went just 1 of 9 from beyond the arc.
Considering he still had 23 points despite these lousy shooting percentage numbers, I expect some positive regression for the Knicks’ star.
Make this Brunson wager with our best sports betting promotions for 2025.
Derrick White Over 3.5 Made Threes (-148)
In the Celtics’ first game of the season against the Philadelphia 76ers, White went 4 of 13 from beyond the arc. Last season, he averaged 3.5 3-pointers made per game. Now, without Porzingis, Tatum, and others on the floor, White should see more playing time.
Right now, the Knicks are allowing the fifth-highest 3-point shooting percentage at 41.3%.
White should continue taking shots from beyond the arc, and based on the Knicks’ first performance of the season, White should have a solid outing and be among your best bets for the NBA tonight.
