All right, New York, let’s get in formation. We’ve passed the halfway point of the NBA season, and the trade deadline is looming less than a month away. So, we’re taking a minute to evaluate the NY Knicks odds and performance over the past few months, a sports betting preview for tonight’s game, and what it all could mean for the second half of the season.
The most important thing: the Knicks have been outperforming expectations so far this season. Not that that’s saying a whole lot since, as we all remember, last season ended with a 37-45 record and not even a shot at the playoffs. But now New York is sitting in sixth place in the East, good enough for a guaranteed playoff spot if they can hold on for the second half of the season.
Let’s break down what you need to know about the Knicks’ betting odds.
NY Knicks Odds vs. Wizards on Jan. 13
The Knicks opened as 4.5-point favorites over the Wizards for Friday night’s game at most of the top NY sports betting operators. New York has won five of its last six games after rallying from a five-game slide at the end of December. The two teams haven’t played each other yet, but they’re scheduled twice in the coming week, tonight in New York and next Wednesday in Washington.
The Wizards shouldn’t be too much of a challenge for the Knicks, as they’ve been struggling to mesh this season. They’re 18-24 overall and 7-16 away.
In fact, the Knicks have a fairly easy schedule for the coming week, and their next big challenge should be the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 24. But they can’t afford to relax or step off the gas right now, so we’re keeping an eye on the New York sports betting odds and how they do against the spread.
How Have the Knicks Performed Against the Odds So Far?
The Knicks may have the 11th-best record in the league, but they’re seventh place in covering the spread.
They’re 22-18-2 against the spread, with a cover rate of 55%. For reference, the best cover percentage is Oklahoma City at 61.9%.
They’re 21-20-1 against the Over/Under with an Over percentage of 51.2% and Under at 48.8%.
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What Will the Knicks Do Before the Trade Deadline
With the trade deadline arriving on Feb. 9, the Knicks are one of the top teams in the conversation for potential trades. Pundits are trying to guess if they’re aiming to buy or sell, who they want to gain, and who they want to shed.
The Knicks, as always, are on the hunt for a superstar player to anchor the lineup. Until they get one, if they ever get one, Jalen Brunson, RJ Barrett, and Julius Randle are taking turns in the limelight. While the team has been solid overall, they’ve left a lot to be desired in terms of scoring, especially three-pointers. They’re ranked 26th for team three-point percentage at 33.9%. Their defense under coach Tom Thibodeaux is where the Knicks really shine, but it couldn’t hurt to shore it up even more.
To fill those gaps, analysts are throwing around names like OG Anunoby, Kelly Oubre, and Jae Crowder. Anunoby has the biggest shot at becoming a star if he comes to New York. But we’ll just have to wait and see.
The Knicks will surely need to add a player or two to climb up the odds to win the NBA title. As of Jan. 13, several online sportsbooks list the Knicks’ odds to win it all from 150-to-1 at Caesars NY Sportsbook to 250-to-1 at BetRivers NY Sportsbook. Those odds are a far cry from NBA title favorites Boston (+360), Brooklyn (+625), and Milwaukee (+750).
NY Knicks Upcoming Games
Here are the Knicks’ upcoming games.
- @Washington — Friday, Jan. 13
- @Detroit — Sunday, Jan. 15
- vs. Toronto — Monday, Jan. 16
- vs. Washington — Wednesday, Jan. 18
- @Atlanta — Friday, Jan. 20
- @Toronto — Sunday, Jan. 22
- vs. Cleveland — Tuesday, Jan. 24
Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
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