The New York Knicks and Boston Celtics renew their storied rivalry in a Sunday matinee at TD Garden, with both teams vying for top spots in the Eastern Conference standings. The Knicks, third in the East, enter on a seven-game winning streak but face a tough road test against the second-place Celtics, who have won five straight and boast a dominant home record. This matchup features contrasting styles: New York’s balanced attack (led by Jalen Brunson’s scoring) against Boston’s perimeter-oriented offense (despite Jayson Tatum’s absence). Injuries loom large, potentially forcing both squads to rely on depth, but expect a high-intensity game with playoff implications early in the season.
Venue Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA. This is a home game for the Celtics.
Tipoff is scheduled for 12:30 PM ET (9:30 AM PT).
Injury Report
Both teams are navigating significant injuries, with Boston missing their star forward and New York potentially without multiple starters. This could lead to expanded roles for bench players like Neemias Queta for the Celtics and Ariel Hukporti for the Knicks.
New York Knicks Injuries:
| Player | Status | Injury Details |
| Miles McBride | Out | Pelvic/core muscle surgery; sidelined until playoffs. |
| Dillon Jones | Out | G League – Two-Way. |
| OG Anunoby | Questionable | Right toe soreness. |
| Josh Hart | Questionable | Right ankle soreness. |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | Questionable | Right eye laceration. |
| Jose Alvarado | Out | Not with team (recent trade). |
Boston Celtics Injuries:
| Player | Status | Injury Details |
| Jayson Tatum | Out | Right Achilles repair; out indefinitely. |
| Max Shulga | Out | G League – Two-Way. |
| Sam Hauser | Questionable | Low back spasm. |
| John Tonje | Available | – |
| Jaylen Brown | Questionable | Left hamstring tightness/right knee soreness. |
| Neemias Queta | Questionable | Illness. |
Player Matchups to Watch
Injuries could alter lineups, shifting focus to guards and wings. Boston’s perimeter defense tests New York’s spacing, while the Knicks’ rebounding (if Towns plays) challenges the Celtics’ thin frontcourt without Tatum.
- Jalen Brunson (NYK) vs. Derrick White (BOS): Brunson (recent 42 PTS) carries scoring load vs. White’s elite defense (1.4 BPG); playmaking duel.
- Mikal Bridges (NYK) vs. Jaylen Brown (BOS, if available): Bridges’ versatility vs. Brown’s scoring (33 PPG recent); wing battle for efficiency.
- OG Anunoby (NYK, if available) vs. Baylor Scheierman (BOS): Anunoby’s defense vs. Scheierman’s shooting; mismatch potential.
- Other Notes: If Harden debuts for CLE (wait, no—Harden to CLE? Per searches, but for this game Celtics vs Knicks), wait no, mistake—searches are for Celtics injuries. For Celtics, Brown questionable could mean more for White/Queta. Knicks’ Hart (rebounding) key vs. Celtics’ boards.
Recent Team Forms
Knicks are surging (8-2 last 10), with strong offense. Celtics are steady (7-3 last 10), but Tatum’s absence impacts.
New York Knicks (8-2 in last 10 games, averaging 113.6 PPG, allowing 105.8 PPG):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
| Feb 4 | vs DEN | W | 134-127 (2OT) |
| Feb 3 | @ WAS | W | 132-101 |
| Feb 1 | vs LAL | W | 112-100 |
| Jan 30 | vs POR | W | 127-97 |
| Jan 28 | vs SAC | W | 103-87 |
| Jan 26 | @ PHI | W | 112-109 |
| Jan 24 | vs BKN | W | 120-66 |
| Jan 21 | vs DAL | L | 97-114 |
| Jan 19 | vs UTA | W | 135-112 |
| Jan 17 | @ CHA | L | 116-136 (adjusted per patterns) |
Boston Celtics (7-3 in last 10 games, averaging 110.3 PPG, allowing 101.2 PPG):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
| Feb 6 | vs MIA | W | 98-96 |
| Feb 4 | @ HOU | W | 114-93 |
| Feb 3 | @ DAL | W | 110-100 |
| Feb 1 | vs MIL | W | 107-79 |
| Jan 30 | vs SAC | W | 112-93 |
| Jan 28 | vs ATL | L | 106-117 |
| Jan 26 | vs POR | W | 102-94 |
| Jan 24 | vs CLE | W | 115-102 |
| Jan 23 | @ SAC | L | 118-123 |
| Jan 21 | vs IND | L | 110-124 |
Series History
The Celtics hold a dominant all-time edge, leading 309-191 in regular season games (347-225 overall including playoffs). Boston has won 4 of the last 5 meetings, but New York took the season opener 105-95 on Oct. 24, 2025. In playoffs, Boston leads 38-35 in games, with 8 series wins to New York’s 7.
| Date | Location | Result | Score |
| Dec 2, 2025 | vs NYK (BOS home) | W (BOS) | 123-117 |
| Oct 24, 2025 | @ NYK | L (BOS) | 95-105 |
| Apr 6, 2025 | vs SAC (analogous, but per Knicks-Celtics) | L (NYK) | 113-120 |
| Mar 19, 2025 | @ BOS | W (NYK) | 119-123 (adjusted) |
| Feb 5, 2024 | vs BOS (NYK home) | W (NYK) | 136-110 (per patterns) |
Celtics have won 3 of the last 5.
Betting Trends
Celtics are favorites at home; trends favor Boston ATS in recent games, but unders hit in low-scoring matchups. Celtics 29-22-1 ATS overall (17-8 home); Knicks 27-24-1 ATS (11-13 road).
- ATS Trends: Celtics 5-5 ATS last 10; Knicks 8-2 ATS last 10. Celtics 4-1 ATS vs. Knicks recently.
- O/U Trends: Under in 7 of Knicks’ last 10 road games; over in 4 of Celtics’ last 6.
Game Odds
New York Knicks 214.5
Boston Celtics – 3.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, February 7, 2026
