The New York Knicks take on the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night in New York. The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks are 13.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook with the total for this game set at 230.5 points. Let’s get into my preview, prediction and pick for this Knicks vs. Kings game.
Knicks vs. Kings prediction, preview
After beating the 76ers on Saturday, the Knicks have won back-to-back games for the first time since their three-game winning streak that began on Christmas Day. The 2026 calendar year has been horrible to the Knicks, who are 4-8 in January. It has seen New York drop from second to fourth in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks have had defensive issues all season under Mike Brown. However, the offensive issues have been the real problem the past several weeks. After averaging over 122 points per game in both November and December, the Knicks are averaging just 108.6 points per game so far in January. New York will hope that the big win over the 76ers could jump-start a return to form over the coming weeks.
The Kings have been one of the worst teams in the NBA this season. They are one of five teams with 12 wins or fewer on the season. During their last home stand, the Kings rattled off an impressive four wins in a row, including one over the Knicks. However, that success was short-lived, as they have since rattled off five straight losses coming into this game. They have dealt with some injury issues this season, but the primary issue is that the roster is just not very good. Their stars, Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, are aging, and the depth behind them is not good enough. One of their good young pieces, Keegan Murray, also remains out due to an injury that has hampered him for the past three weeks.
Knicks vs. Kings pick, best bet
My best bet for this Tuesday night game at Madison Square Garden is the under 230.5 points. The Knicks have been struggling to score over the past few weeks. When they faced the Kings in Sacramento two weeks ago, they put just 101 points on the board. Granted, that was the game where Jalen Brunson played just five minutes before going off injured. However, this has been a persistent problem for the Knicks. The drop from averaging 122 points per game to 108.6 is a dramatic regression. At the same time, it has been their best month of the season from a defensive perspective. They are allowing just 111 points per game in January after allowing 116.9 PPG in December. This could indicate an emphasis on slowing things down and focusing on the defensive end from Mike Brown.
The Knicks have only scored more than 120 points twice in their past 12 games. Even against a Kings team that typically struggles on the defensive end of the floor, the Knicks shouldn’t have any sort of offensive explosion. On the other end of the court, the Knicks should contain the Kings. Even in a Knicks loss, the Kings only scored 112 points when they last faced them. New York just held the 76ers to 109 points and had a defensive masterclass last time out at The Garden, holding Brooklyn to a shocking 66 points. The Knicks should play well on the defensive end here and keep the game under the listed total.
