3 Best NBA Bets and Player Props for Knicks vs. Celtics in Game 1 of the Playoffs

The NBA playoffs are here, and even within a single game, betting markets are abundant.

You can bet traditional markets like the spread or the total, but we've also got tons of player-prop markets to sift through.

Which bets stand out today as the New York Knicks face the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Playoffs?

Let's dig into the best bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA betting odds, utilizing FanDuel Research's NBA projections to try to find value.

Knicks at Celtics Game 1 Betting Picks

Player Performance Doubles: Derrick White 4+ Made Threes/Boston to Win (+178)

If tonight's game looks anything like the regular-season meetings between Boston and New York, it should be a night full of self-indulgence for the Celtics.

The Celtics went 4-0 with a whopping +65 point differential against the Knicks this season. Regular-season games don't always mean much, but both sides were healthy in their meetings this year -- save for Jrue Holiday and OG Anunoby sitting out a February 8th game -- and all four games were nationally televised. Boston's offense did exactly what they wanted, averaging 21.0 three-point makes (3PM) on 48.3 three-point attempts (3PA) versus New York.

Simply put -- it would take horrific shooting on Boston's part for the Knicks to get by tonight while also granting the C's the same quality looks they have for some time now. Maybe they've studied -- and can implement -- the Orlando Magic's round-one defensive tape, but it's not easy to trust New York from an adjustment perspective after seeing how they squeaked by the Pistons.

Jalen Brunson continues to prove that he is the clutchest player in the NBA, but the ultimate closer will have his work cut out for him against Holiday. Brunson himself has labeled Holiday the best defender in the NBA, and Jrue held him to five total free throws across their three meetings this season. Luckily, the Knicks have assets outside of Brunson who can feast, but it will take a very mature series from both Brunson and Tom Thibodeau for the offense to thrive when Brunson isn't getting his freebies.

You can get the Celtics -9.0 (-112) -- which is the way I'd lean on this spread -- but we can perhaps find better value (and root for a more exciting finish) by looking for Boston to win and Derrick White to sink four threes at +178 odds.

New York allowed teams to shoot threes at the fifth-best clip this season, and White went for 4, 4, 5, and 6 made threes against them. The Celtics are thrilled when they can get White to shoot upwards of 10 threes per game, and the Knicks didn't seem too concerned about preventing good shooters from getting quality volume against Detroit. Malik Beasley (41.6% 3P%) averaged 9.8 3PA last round -- up from 9.3 3PA in the regular season. If White is firing, the Celtics should be able to take Game 1.

Jayson Tatum Over 42.5 Pts + Reb + Ast (-102)

Jayson Tatum notched 49, 53, and 54 combined points, rebounds, and assists (PRA) in the final three games of round one despite facing an Orlando team that ranked second on defense and last in pace.

I don't think he's getting enough respect from the market at this number, especially after seeing how he played bully ball against the smaller Mikal Bridges this season.

Tatum lit up the Knicks for 44, 44, 50, and 51 PRA this year. New York allowed him to play one-on-one with Bridges, and their insistence on employing drop coverage throughout the season (most FGA and FGM allowed to ball handler in pick-and-rolls) practically forced Tatum to cook.

The Knicks showed similar defensive marks in the pick-and-roll in their series against Detroit, indicating that old habits could die hard. But even if the Knicks throw something new at Tatum tonight, I'm awfully encouraged by the numbers Tatum put up against the Magic.

Josh Hart Over 25.5 Pts + Reb + Ast (-102)

The Knicks will be in good shape if they can get offensive production -- particularly from three -- from Josh Hart in this series. He's usually one to pass up open looks from downtown, but now's not the time to play it safe, especially against a team that insists on chucking it from long.

Hart averaged 29.1 PRA in the regular season. He logged over 25.5 PRA in five out of six games against Detroit. He mustered 19, 28, 28, and 40 PRA against the Celtics this season, too.

As we've learned, Hart tracks down boards like an MLB outfielder. A date with Boston is perfect for him as the three-point shooting Celtics leave plenty of long defensive rebounds for opposing teams.

Hart got into foul trouble a few times in the opening round, but that's the last thing to worry about when facing Boston. The Celtics drew the fourth-fewest fouls per game in the regular season.

With that, Hart figures to log more minutes tonight than he did in the first round (37.3). It helps to know that he can be good for as many as 48 minutes.

When you're +590 to win a series, you need to get creative. The Celtics will likely let Hart burn them, and the Knicks should be open to that possibility.

You can also check out our latest 2025 NBA Playoffs printable bracket, which includes the seeding and matchups for each conference.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.