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The Boston Celtics will travel to the Big Apple to play the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on January 6th.
Coming off a 99-97 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, the Boston Celtics continued to struggle with rhythm and saw them fall to 18-20 on the season.
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks overcame their own struggles by snapping a two-game losing streak in a 104-94 victory against the Indiana Pacers. With the win, the Knicks improved to 18-20 on the season.
In the third installation of the season series between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks, both teams will look to earn the tiebreaker with a victory.
Match Details
Fixture - Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks | 2021-22 NBA Season
Date & Time - Thursday, January 6th, 2022; 7:30 PM ET (Friday, January 7th, 2022; 6:00 AM IST)
Venue - Madison Square Garden. New York City, NY
Boston Celtics Preview
The Boston Celtics head into Wednesday night's matchup with the majority of their key players available. A rare occurrence for the franchise this season. The Celtics' issues with establishing chemistry have plagued them early on as they deal with a number of injuries and absences due to health and safety protocols.
Being one game under .500 prior to their loss, the Celtics welcomed back superstar Jayson Tatum from medical protocols on Wednesday. Unfortunately, his return was not triumphant as the Boston Celtics came up short against San Antonio.
In addition to some horrendous three-point shooting, the Celtics also couldn't capitalize on San Antonio's' mistakes. While failing to take advantage of the 17 forced turnovers by the Spurs, Boston also came up short in a key moment of the game.
With Jaylen Brown stealing an inbound pass in the final seconds, the Celtics' star failed to convert on a layup to tie the game and send it OT.
With another loss in the books, Boston can only hope to turn things around in this game against the New York Knicks.
Key Player - Jayson Tatum
The Boston Celtics will hope to see Jayson Tatum step up as a key player for their matchup on Thursday night.
Returning from the NBA's health and safety protocols, Tatum's availability for Boston makes a huge difference to the team's offensive rotations. As one of the best scorers in the Eastern Conference, Tatum shoulders a huge responsibility while leading the Celtics.
In support of Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum put up 19 points in a losing effort against the Spurs. Still finding his legs as he comes off medical protocols, settling into a rhythm and reconditioning will be key to his effectiveness on the court.
The game at Madison Square Garden will be a good opportunity for Tatum to return to form and the Celtics will hope to see their young superstar fulfill his role successfully.
Boston Celtics Predicted Lineup
G - Marcus Smart | G - Jaylen Brown | F - Jayson Tatum | F - Al Horford | C - Robert Williams III
New York Knicks Preview
The New York Knicks have also been an underachieving team this season. With a relatively mediocre start to their 2021-22 campaign, the Knicks' overall roster problems continue to plague the side as they approach the midway mark of the season.
At 18-20, New York is tied with Boston for 10th in the Eastern Conference standings. Fighting for a play-in spot, the Knicks will make a strong case for contention against Boston.
In their win against Indiana, the New York Knicks played great perimeter defense that limited the Pacers to 23.7% from beyond the arc. Interestingly, however, the Knicks only managed to shoot slightly above 21%.
With outstanding performances by RJ Barrett and Julius Randle, who combined for 62 points for the game, the New York Knicks managed to pull away with the help of their rebounding effort and limited turnovers.
Key Player - Julius Randle
New York will rely on Julius Randle to be their key player for this game against Boston. As last season's Most Improved Player, Randle continues to be a key piece for the Knicks.
Recording averages of 19.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game, Julius Randle leads the team in three different categories. Playing the role of a quintessential point-forward, the 27-year old facilitates New York's offense.
Coming off a 30-point, 16-rebound outing against the Pacers, Randle dominated the glass against Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner. With an opportunity to do the same against Boston, the Knicks will look to their superstar to be their main contributor in Thursday night's matchup.
New York Knicks Predicted Lineup
G - Alec Burks | G - RJ Barrett | F - Evan Fournier | F - Julius Randle | C - Taj Gibson
Celtics vs Knicks Match Predictions
Thursday night's marquee matchup will feature two of the most storied franchises in the league. With identical records for the season as well, the battle for a position in the play-in tournament intensifies.
Given Boston's relative struggles at this point in the season, the availability of key players should instill some confidence in them.
Meanwhile, New York will have some momentum as they head into the game. Hosting a Boston team playing on the road and on the second night of a back-to-back, the Knicks will enjoy an advantage.
All things considered, although New York has a losing record at home, the Knicks are slightly favored in this matchup against Boston.
Where to watch Celtics vs Knicks game?
The Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks matchup will be broadcast nationally on TNT. The game will get local coverage on the MSG Network and will also be available on the NBA League Pass platform.
