The Knicks and Thunder are set to play their second matchup, with Oklahoma City winning the first round.
Oklahoma City is an 8.5-point favorite and -360 on the moneyline, while New York is +285 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under is set at 223.5 points.
Here’s a preview, prediction and pick for Sunday’s Knicks vs. Thunder matchup.
Knicks vs. Thunder prediction, preview
This is a matchup of two championship contenders on different levels. The Knicks are attempting to reach heights they haven’t reached since the 1990s, while the Thunder are looking to return as defending champions.
New York has a strong roster led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart also play key roles to round out the starting five. The team is the third seed in the Eastern Conference and is likely to win 50 games for the third straight year. That also hasn’t happened since the 1990s.
Oklahoma City is on another tier of contenders. It’s already won an NBA Championship and is looking to create the next NBA dynasty. The last team to win back-to-back titles was the Warriors in 2017 and 2018. The Thunder are the favorite to win it all this year.
Perhaps what’s been most impressive is the Thunder maintaining the best record despite injuries to key players. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein have all missed time this season. If the team is fully healthy, it seems likely only a few teams can compete.
Knicks vs. Thunder pick, best bet
The Thunder won 103-100 in the previous matchup with the Knicks, but that was without Williams active. Now that he’s healthy and the Thunder are at home, it creates a much more difficult game for New York.
Oklahoma City has lost one game since the start of March, while New York just broke its seven-game win streak. The difference is that the Thunder are beating good teams, while the Knicks’ recent stretch was against weaker squads.
