The NBA trade deadline is exactly one week away, a date that will shift many teams’ odds for this year’s playoffs. At the same time, the Knicks are headed into an important stretch of matchups that could decide their standing in the East and their odds of clinching a playoff berth. That means it’s time for another NY Knicks odds update.
We’re catching up on the Knicks’ odds against the Heat in tonight’s game, plus their historic odds this season and a look at the future.
NY Knicks Odds Update vs. Heat on Feb. 2
Tonight’s Knicks vs. Heat game comes with higher stakes than usual. The matchup starts a two-month span in which the conference rivals will clash four times.
The prize? A chance to avoid the play-in tournament.
The Heat, who made it deep into the playoffs last season, are struggling for a guaranteed spot with a record of 29-23. They’re in sixth in the East. The Knicks are coming at it from the opposite direction. They didn’t get a shot at a play-in tournament last season, finishing right out of the top 10. Now they’re seventh in the East and two games behind the Heat with a record of 27-25.
The teams’ four upcoming games will likely move their New York sports betting odds and their chance to get further into the playoffs.
The Heat opened as betting favorites across the top NY sportsbooks, but the odds are close.
How Have the Knicks Performed Against the Odds So Far?
The Knicks are 26-24-2 against the spread this season, compared to their straight-up win-loss record of 27-25. For the less math-inclined, that means they cover the spread 52% of the time. The percentage has dropped a point from last week thanks to their seven-point loss to the Nets and OT loss to LeBron and his Lakers in the Garden on Tuesday.
In terms of the Total (over/under), the Knicks hit the Over 54% of the time.
How Could the Knicks’ Odds Shift in the Next Week?
That all depends on their moves before the trade deadline next Thursday. And, of course, how they play in their upcoming conference rivalries that will move odds on clinching a playoff berth. The Knicks, Heat, and Hawks are all hovering near the dividing line and all aiming to avoid the purgatory of the play-in round.
The Heat and Hawks both have better odds than the Knicks to win the East right now. The Heat are at 20-to-1 odds, and the Hawks are at 50-to-1. The Knicks? 150-to-1. All three have fair odds to make the playoffs, though: Heat (-900), Hawks (-200), and Knicks (-115).
Of course, all those odds could change when final trades are announced by Feb. 9. The big question for several teams is OG Anunoby. The Knicks are reportedly willing to give up as many as three future first-round picks for Anunoby. Acquiring the small forward would certainly boost the Knicks’ odds this year. The catch is that he could leave after just one full season. Is it worth it to get a run into the playoffs?
NY Knicks Upcoming Games
Here are the Knicks’ upcoming games.
- vs. Miami — Thursday, Feb. 2
- vs. Clippers — Saturday, Feb. 4
- vs. Philadelphia — Sunday, Feb. 5
- @ Orlando — Tuesday, Feb. 7
- @ Philadelphia — Friday, Feb. 10
- vs. Utah — Saturday, Feb. 11
- vs. Brooklyn — Monday, Feb. 13
- @ Atlanta — Wednesday, Feb. 15
- @ Washington — Friday, Feb. 24
- vs. New Orleans — Saturday, Feb. 25
Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
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