The Los Angeles Lakers (23-28) look to split their two games in the Big Apple as they take on the New York Knicks (27-24) on Tuesday night. Los Angeles lost to the Nets 121-104 on Monday and failed to cover as a 9-point underdog. LeBron James (questionable) and Anthony Davis (foot) sat that one out, but both are expected to suit up tonight, while Patrick Beverley (knee) and Austin Reaves (hamstring) are out. The Knicks also played the Nets last time out and lost 122-115 on Saturday. New York center Mitchell Robinson (thumb) is out for this one.
Tipoff at Madison Square Garden is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists New York as the 2-point favorite in the latest Knicks vs. Lakers odds. The over/under for total points is set at 232, down 5.5 points from the opening line. Before locking in any Lakers vs. Knicks picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four-plus seasons. The model enters Week 16 of the 2022-23 NBA season on a stunning 49-23 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Lakers and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Lakers vs. Knicks:
- Lakers vs. Knicks spread: Knicks -2
- Lakers vs. Knicks over/under: 232 points
- Lakers vs. Knicks money line: Knicks -135, Lakers +115
- LAL: The Lakers are 4-4 against the spread with no rest
- NYK: The Knicks are 9-14-2 against the spread in home games
- Lakers vs. Knicks picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Lakers can cover
Though James has been dealing with "significant soreness" in his foot/ankle, per coach Darvin Ham, he appears to have a decent shot of playing on Tuesday after sitting Monday out. James is just 117 points away from surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's NBA scoring record, so he should be motivated to be on the floor and make progress toward that mark in his first game at MSG in three years. Davis, meanwhile, appears to be set to go with the probable tag.
Though Los Angeles is just 24-25-2 overall against the spread this season, the Lakers have been much better in January, going 10-4-1 ATS since the calendar flipped to 2023. They've also been tremendous as slight underdogs, going 8-1 ATS when the spread is between a pick'em and +3.
Why the Knicks can cover
The Knicks are pesky on defense, contesting shots at a high level. New York is No. 2 in the NBA in opponent field goal percentage (45.3%), and the Knicks allow only 34.9% shooting from 3-point range. Opponents are averaging only 24.8 assists per game against the Knicks, and New York is in the top eight in both fast break points allowed (12.9 per game) and points allowed in the paint (44.3 per game). Los Angeles is in the bottom tier of the NBA in 3-point accuracy on offense, playing into the hands of New York's defensive approach.
On the other end, the Knicks are excellent on offense, scoring more than 1.15 points per possession and leading the NBA in second-chance points with 17.5 per game. New York secures almost 33% of missed shots on the offensive glass, and the Knicks commit a turnover on only 13.2% of offensive possessions with 25.6 free throw attempts per game.
How to make Knicks vs. Lakers picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 240 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Lakers vs. Knicks? And which side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
