Two familiar Atlantic Division foes will meet again this Thursday when the Boston Celtics (13-10 SU, 10-13 ATS) host the New York Knicks (8-17 SU, 13-11-1 ATS), beginning at 8 PM ET on TNT. It’s already their third game of the season; they split the previous two straight up, but the Knicks covered both times.
Boston may finally be getting out of the funk that’s kept them well behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic race. Head coach Brad Stevens has shuffled his lineup, bringing in Gordon Hayward off the bench as a sixth man while trying different players in the starting five. The Celtics are 4-3 SU and ATS since making the change. Jaylen Brown, who’s day-to-day with a bruised tailbone, could also join the bench mob when he makes his return.
The Knicks are last in the Atlantic, but they’ve performed admirably without Kristaps Porzingis, who has yet to make his season debut after undergoing knee surgery in February. Lance Thomas (knee) remains out indefinitely; Courtney Lee (neck) and Trey Burke (knee) are listed as day-to-day. New York are 4-4 SU and 6-2 ATS over their past eight games, including a 117-109 win over Boston as 14.5-point road dogs.
