The Knicks are hosting the Lakers on Sunday. On DraftKings Sportsbook, New York is favored by 4.5 points and this game carries a total of 228.5 points.
Let’s dive into my preview and pick for the game.
Knicks vs. Lakers preview, prediction
After getting blown out by the Mavericks in front of the New York faithful in Madison Square Garden, capping off an ugly 2-9 stretch for the Knicks, Jalen Brunson held a players-only meeting for the team and New York hasn’t looked back since, winning five straight games. Included in this win streak is road wins over the 76ers and Raptors, which were encouraging victories, as competing away from Madison Square Garden has been the Knicks’ Achilles heel this season.
The difference has been the team’s defense, as New York has held four of its five opponents during this win streak to less than 100 points. The Knicks have also been great on offense, shooting the ball at a 49.3% clip. All in all, when we compare every team’s last five games, New York ranks first in net rating and it’s not even close. The Knicks’ net rating during this time is a jaw-dropping 26.5, which is miles better than the Hornets, who rank second at 13.1.
A five-game sample obviously isn’t much, but New York’s improved play has been very impressive and the Knicks look like the team that started this season red-hot. For the season, New York is 30-18 and ranks fifth in net rating. The Knicks get the luxury of playing at home in Madison Square Garden on Sunday, where they are 19-6 with a 10.4-point differential this season, but this is likely to be a hard-fought game vs. the Lakers, who are also playing well recently.
Los Angeles has won five of its last seven and the club is 29-18. However, the Lakers only rank 17th in net rating, so their record is rather misleading. Luka Doncic has been brilliant, averaging 36.5 PPG in his last six, but LeBron James has been hit-or-miss, scoring less than 20 points in three of these past six. Austin Reaves (calf) has been out since Christmas Day, which hasn’t been ideal, as he leads the team in plus/minus this season, but Reaves is inching toward a return and is questionable for this matchup vs. the Knicks.
The wing almost suited up for Friday’s matchup vs. the Wizards, so Reaves feels likely to play Sunday. That being said, he is likely to be limited after missing 17 straight games and even with Reaves back in the mix, this is likely to be a challenging road matchup vs. this Knicks team that is playing with a ton of confidence.
Knicks vs. Lakers pick, best bet
The Knicks are on a roll right now and with this game at Madison Square Garden, they should keep their foot on the gas and extend their win streak to six in a row.
New York is 17-8 ATS on its home floor this season and the club should be able to cover this 4.5-point spread.
