The Boston Celtics (36-16) will look to solidify their position for the second spot in the Eastern Conference as they battle the New York Knicks (34-17) on Saturday evening. Currently, the Celtics lead the Knicks by 1.5 games in the Atlantic Division, trailing Cleveland by six games for the conference lead.

The Celtics’ four-game winning streak was snapped by a 127-120 loss to the Mavericks on Thursday. In contrast, the Knicks come in after back-to-back wins over the Rockets and Raptors, seeking revenge for a prior 132-109 defeat to Boston in October.

Tipoff is slated for 8:30 PM ET at Madison Square Garden. According to SportsLine consensus, the Celtics are favored by 3.5 points, with an over/under of 232.5 points.

New York’s Cover Chances

New York can narrow the gap to half a game in the Eastern Conference with a victory on Saturday, ensuring an electric atmosphere at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks last played on Tuesday, successfully holding off the Raptors in a 121-115 victory. Guard Jalen Brunson closed with five of his 28 points in the last moments of that game.

Brunson had scored 11 of New York’s last 13 points against Houston the previous night. Despite a rocky recent stretch by the Celtics, New York intends to capitalize.

Boston’s Cover Potential

Boston looks to rebound quickly following losses, having not lost consecutive games since Christmas. They secured wins in three successive road games before losing to Dallas, including a solid victory over Cleveland. Jaylen Brown topped the scoring with 25 points in the loss against the Mavericks.

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