Atlantic Division battle in Beantown

This is the third meeting of the season between the two squads. New York has won both contests, winning once at Madison Square Garden and once at the FleetCenter.

On Wednesday, the Knicks dropped their second straight game and recorded a season-low point total in a 77-67 loss the San Antonio Spurs in front of their home crowd.

Stephon Marbury paced the Knicks with 19 points and Kurt Thomas netted 11 and grabbed 12 rebounds in the loss for New York, which has dropped three of its last four contests. Allan Houston, who played with a sore knee, struggled from the field, making just 2-of-13 shots for just seven points.

Houston is expected to miss tonight’s game with an ailing right knee. Houston told the New York Times on Thursday that he was taking an indeterminate time off to rehabilitate his arthroscopically repaired knee.

The Knicks are 8-14 on the road this season.

The Celtics dropped their first game under interim coach John Carroll on Wednesday with a 106-103 loss to the Detroit Pistons at the FleetCenter. Carroll replaced Jim O’Brien, who resigned Tuesday.

Paul Pierce scored 26 points in the loss for the Celtics, who have dropped six of their last eight overall. Jiri Welsch finished with 19 points and Chris Mihm contributed 16 points, his career-high with Boston.

The Celtics, who have lost three of their last four at home, are 11-14 as the host this season.

New York has lost nine of its last 12 at Boston.