Celtics vs. Knicks: Game 4 Preview, Predictions, How to Watch

The New York Knicks and Boston Celtics face off tonight in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks lead the series 2–1, but the Celtics are coming off a dominant 115–93 victory in Game 3 — and the momentum could be theirs if they win tonight.

Boston found its rhythm and kept it in Game 3, hitting 20 of 40 three-point attempts (50%) and showcasing a balanced offensive attack.

Payton Pritchard showed why he was the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year, leading the Celtics with 23 points off the bench, while Jayson Tatum added 22 points, going 5-for-9 from beyond the arc.

Derrick White contributed 17 points, continuing his consistent scoring performance throughout the series — and this time, on an efficient 6 of 10 shooting from the field.

The Knicks’ defense was in disarray. New York will need to revive its late-game performances from Games 1 and 2 tonight, better defending the pick and roll.

On the offensive end, the Knicks will need to improve spacing and ball movement, reducing their reliance on iso ball. Too often in Game 3, Knicks scorers found themselves in a crowded paint, obstructed by Kristaps Porziņģis, who was a thorn in their side, ending with 3 blocks.

The once-effective pick-and-roll between Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns has disappeared in this series.

New York cannot afford for OG Anunoby to be invisible tonight. He scored just two points in Game 3 — a big drop from his 29-point performance in Game 2.

Mitchell Robinson has been a gamechanger for the Knicks on the defensive end, but he continues to miss free throws at a horrifying rate. In Game 3, the Celtics deployed their hack-a-Mitch strategy to prevent the Knicks from going on offensive runs. While the Knicks overcame 20-point deficits in the first two games of this series, they can’t keep digging themselves into a hole and expecting to climb out each time.

Expect the Knicks to come out on top tonight in a close game.

Series Prediction: Knicks in six.

How to Watch Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks

Tonight’s Celtics-Knicks game tips off just after 7:30 PM Eastern. The game airs live on ESPN and streams on the ESPN website and app.