Experts Update Celtics' Finals Chances As Knicks Head to Madison Square Garden With 2-0 Lead

The Boston Celtics head to Madison Square Garden in Round 2 of the NBA Playoffs on Saturday, May 10 desperately in need of a win after falling behind 2-0 in their series vs. the New York Knicks.

In both Games  1 and 2, Boston seized 20+ point leads, only to squander them late due to poor shooting, including an NBA record 45 missed three-pointers.

Now with Boston's backs against the wall, our experts have updated their NBA predictions, including for Game 3 as well as to win the Eastern Conference and the NBA Finals.

Plus, for bettors looking to get in on the NBA playoff action, read on below our Knicks-Celtics predictions as we show you how a $5 bet on either the Celtics or Knicks to win to the series can unlock a $150 bonus at bet365 sportsbook, no matter who ends up winning.

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Experts Update Celtics NBA Playoff Predictions

The Celtics looked ready to cruise their first two games in the series, just like they did when they swept the Knicks 4-0 in the regular season, but were unable to stem the bleeding from their poor shooting, allowing the Knicks to creep back in both games and win with the go-ahead buckets in the final seconds before Mikal Bridges sealed the deal with a steal on the final possession in both games.

Before this series started, Boston were -155 favorites to win the Eastern Conference and reach the NBA Finals. They're still favored at +170, but in a much tighter race.

Now, the history is against them, even if the odds on the sportsbooks say otherwise.

In NBA history, including non-seven game series, teams with a 2-0 advantage have won 92.7% of the time - the team down 2-0 has won in 34 out of 463 occurrences. If we look at just this round, the conference semifinals, 8 out of 117 teams have come back at a 6.8% rate.

However, on the sportsbooks, the Celtics are still favored to complete the comeback at -125 over the Knicks at +105.

In the Eastern Conference, the Dimers model agrees with the Celtics comeback chances, giving them a 36.3% probability to come back in this series and go on to reach the NBA Finals. The Knicks are at 20.3% to win the East.

To win the NBA Finals, the Dimers model gives Boston a 21.4% probability, well below the Thunder at 34.7%. This mirrors their sportsbook odds as Boston sits +350 to win it all, while the Knicks, despite their 2-0 advantage in the second round, are at +1400 and a 6.7% probability from Dimers.

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Celtics vs. Knicks Game 3 Details

Below you will find important viewing and betting information for Saturday's Celtics vs. Knicks Game 3. Betting information for the other NBA playoffs games  can be found here: NBA Predictions.

Celtics vs. Knicks: Detailed Breakdown

• Teams: Celtics vs. Knicks
• Date: Saturday, May 10, 2025
• Time: 3:30 PM ET
• Venue: Madison Square Garden

Current Betting Odds

• Spread: Celtics favored at -5.5
• Total (Over/Under): 205
• Moneyline Odds: Celtics -225, Knicks +192

Dimers' Win Probabilities

• Knicks: 31%
• Celtics: 69%

View our full Celtics vs. Knicks Prediction, including our Best Bets, Top Props and full NBA player projections.

Three-Point Projections for Boston Celtics in Game 3

After their poor three-point shooting effort in Games 1 and 2, Boston will need to improve from beyond the arc.

Here's our top projected three-point shooters for Boston in Game 3:

• Derrick White: 3.5
• Jayson Tatum: 3.2
• Payton Pritchard: 2.0
• Jrue Holiday: 1.8
• Jaylen Brown: 1.7

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No matter who wins, you will instantly qualify for a $150 bonus bet reward from bet365. These bonus bets can be used on any NBA game or any sporting event available on bet365 and any winnings from these bonus bets can be withdrawn.

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Use Bet365 Bonus Code DIMERS Before Tip-Off of Knicks-Celtics Game 3

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