Celtics Seek 6th Straight Win vs. Injury-Plagued Knicks
The Boston Celtics will look to extend their winning streak to six games as they host the New York Knicks on Sunday at TD Garden at 12:30 p.m. ET, with the matchup broadcast exclusively on ABC. The contest pits the second-place Celtics (34-18) against the third-place Knicks (33-19) in what figures to be a pivotal Eastern Conference battle.
Celtics Riding Momentum
Boston enters the matchup with significant confidence, sitting just one game ahead of New York in the standings and riding a five-game winning streak. The Celtics boast one of the league’s most explosive offenses, ranking second in offensive rating at 121 points per 100 possessions, while averaging 115.6 points per game overall.[1]
Jaylen Brown has been the engine of Boston’s recent success, averaging 29.5 points per game on 36% three-point shooting.[1] Derrick White provides secondary scoring with 17.4 points per game, connecting on 32% of his attempts from beyond the arc, while contributing 5.5 assists.[3] However, the Celtics will be without star forward Jayson Tatum, who remains sidelined with an ACL injury.[3]
Knicks Face Significant Injury Challenges
New York enters Sunday’s matchup dealing with substantial depth concerns, which will significantly impact their matchup preparation. According to the latest knicks injury report, Karl-Anthony Towns remains questionable with an eye injury, while Josh Hart and OG Anunoby are listed as questionable due to ankle and toe issues respectively.[3] The Knicks are also without Deuce McBride, who is sidelined following hernia surgery.[1]
The Knicks are coming off a demoralizing 118-80 loss to Detroit just 48 hours earlier, leaving them searching for answers heading into their road test against one of the conference’s most dangerous teams.[5]
Key Matchups and Lineup Impact
Despite roster concerns, New York can lean on its dynamic scoring duo of Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges. Brunson has averaged 27.1 points and 6.1 assists per game this season, while Bridges contributes 15.7 points per outing.[3]
The Celtics’ expected starting lineup includes Derrick White at point guard, Baylor Scheierman at shooting guard, Jaylen Brown at small forward, Jordan Walsh at power forward, and Neemias Queta at center.[3] The Knicks counter with Jalen Brunson at point guard, Landry Shamet at shooting guard, Mikal Bridges at small forward, Mohamed Diawara at power forward, and Mitchell Robinson at center.[3]
Outlook
ESPN gives the Knicks a 42% chance of victory in this matchup.[1] To pull off an upset on the road, New York will need to contain Brown while dominating the boards—a tall task given their injury situation. A win could provide a significant morale boost as the team navigates health concerns leading into the All-Star break, while a loss would mark back-to-back defeats.
