The New York Knicks get set to take on the Boston Celtics Thursday night inside the famed TD Garden from Boston, MA. They tip it off at 7:30 pm as the Celtics have already clinched a playoff spot and, more importantly, have secured the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Bookmaker has installed the Celtics as a slim - 2.5 point favorite. 

The Celtics (62-17) have been on fire all season long. They are hands down the best team in the Eastern Conference. They have run away with the Atlantic Division and made a joke of the seedings. But even with their incredible play and brilliant record, if they do not get to the NBA Finals, the season will be a complete waste and disaster.

They have won 14 of 17 overall and are playing some of their best basketball of the season. 

They believe they have the horses and the talent to win it all, but it will come down to finishing out games and series. The playoffs are a different animal, and every team in the East that made the playoffs would love a chance to knock off the Celtics.

On offense, they lean on two key players and a seasoned veteran. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are stars in this league and one of the most impactful 1-2 punches in the NBA. Boston also has the luxury of having veteran center Kristas Porzingis, who is playing at a very high level in his first stint with the Celtics. He is netting 20 a game, while Brown and Tatum each contribute over 23 a contest. 

The Knicks have battled through a lot of adversity this season, including some major injuries and losses on the floor. But their fanbase knows one thing—the team does not quit, and they have shown a tremendous amount of grit and heart this season.

The loss of veteran Julius Randle might be one of the main reasons this team makes a quick exit from the playoffs, but they still believe they can win a series or two with this current roster. Jalen Brunson has played great this season, and the young point guard leads all players on the team in scoring with a 26.4 average per night. His leadership skills have impressed the franchise; they believe they can build around him. 

New York will look to push the ball and get into an early rhythm and tempo against the Celtics, who might rest some players since they have everything locked up. I am sure the franchise would love to get to 65 wins, but the health of their players is more important. 

The Celtics are 4-1 in their last five games, 2-3 in their previous five games against the spread, and 19-19 in their road games against the number. The totals have gone over in three out of their last five games. The Knicks are 3-2 in their previous five games and 3-2 in their last five games against the spread, and they have a very impressive 22-17 in their road games against the number. The totals have gone over in four out of their last five games.