New Orleans Pelicans vs New York Knicks Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Knicks vs Pelicans prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in New Orleans.

  • The Knicks head into the game at 17-10.
  • Defensively, New York are giving up 110.0 points per game.
  • The Knicks are coming off a 133-107 win vs. the Pelicans.
  • The Pelicans come in at 5-23.
  • Defensively, New Orleans are giving up 117.1 points per game.
  • The Pelicans are looking to bounce back from a loss to the Knicks.

Knicks vs Pelicans Prediction

At 8:00 ET, the New York Knicks (-332) will take on the New Orleans Pelicans (+266) at the Smoothie King Center. The Knicks are favored by 8.5 points, and the over/under line is set at 226.

This non-conference matchup will be broadcast on NBA TV. New York is currently 17-10 and has won two straight games. The Pelicans are 5-23 and have lost five in a row.

Knicks vs. Pelicans Matchup At A Glance

  • Sport: NBA
  • Teams: New York Knicks at New Orleans Pelicans
  • Where: New Orleans at Smoothie King Center
  • Date: Saturday, December 21st
  • Betting Odds NY -8.5, NY -332 | NO +266 O/U 226

Knicks Preview: Do the Knicks Have What it Takes to Win as Road Favorites?

The Knicks improved to 17-10 on the season with a dominant 133-107 road win over the Timberwolves on Thursday. New York, who entered the game as +3.5 point underdogs, not only secured the win but also covered the spread. The game’s total of 240 points exceeded the O/U line of 214 by 26 points.

After a tight 1st quarter, the Knicks took control with an 11-0 run, pushing the score from 33-30 to 44-30. They outscored the Timberwolves 41-18 in the 2nd quarter and entered the 4th with a commanding 104-74 lead. Minnesota won the final quarter 33-29, but the Knicks’ lead was too much to overcome.

The Knicks' offense was firing on all cylinders in their win over the Timberwolves, shooting 51.5% from the field and knocking down 20 threes at a 44.4% clip. Karl-Anthony Towns led the way, hitting 5 threes without a miss and finishing with 32 points and 20 rebounds.

Mikal Bridges added 29 points and 4 threes, while Miles McBride also connected on 4 triples. Towns did most of his damage in the 2nd quarter, scoring 19 points, while Bridges added 11 points in the 3rd.

Despite giving up 33 points in both the 1st and 4th quarters, the Knicks held the Timberwolves to just 107 points, thanks to a strong defensive effort in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, where they allowed only 18 and 23 points, respectively. New York sent Minnesota to the line just 13 times, where they converted 8 free throws.

The Knicks allowed the Timberwolves to hit 17 threes at a 40% clip. However, they controlled the boards, giving up just 6 offensive rebounds while collecting 41 defensive rebounds. New York also added 10 steals and 2 blocks.

Pelicans Preview: Can New Orleans Deliver Being Underdogs at Home?

The Knicks improved to 17-10 on the season with a dominant 133-107 win over the Timberwolves on Thursday. New York, who entered the game as +3.5 point underdogs, not only picked up the win but also covered the spread. The total points for the game reached 240, surpassing the O/U line of 214.

New York took control with an 11-0 run early in the 2nd quarter, and they outscored Minnesota 41-18 in that period. By the start of the 4th, the Knicks led 104-74, allowing them to coast to victory despite being outscored 33-29 in the final quarter.

In their 133-113 loss to the Rockets, the Pelicans shot 44.6% from the field, but connected on 46.4% of their threes, making 13 from deep. Trey Murphy III led the way with 28 points, hitting 4 threes at a 66.7% rate, while Herbert Jones also made 4 threes, finishing with 20 points.

Murphy scored 9 points in both the 1st and 4th quarters, while Jones put up 13 of his 20 points in the 3rd. CJ McCollum added 18 points, with 7 coming in the 3rd quarter.

The Pelicans struggled defensively against the Rockets, giving up 133 points on 57% shooting. They allowed 39 points in the 1st quarter and 34 in the 4th, with the Rockets scoring at least 27 points in every quarter.

New Orleans also gave up 17 threes on 43% shooting from deep. Houston went 16/19 from the free-throw line. The Pelicans finished with 26 defensive rebounds, 6 steals, and 2 blocks.

Knicks vs Pelicans Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

  • Through their last five road games, New York has an ATS record of just 2-3. However, their overall record was 4-1 while averaging 111 points per game.
  • Through their last ten home games, New Orleans has an ATS record of just 3-7. However, their overall record was 0-10 while averaging 102 points per game.
  • The last five games that New Orleans was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 2-3 while going 0-5 straight up.
  • Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Knicks have a straight up record of 6-4. But, their mark vs the spread was just 4-6.

Knicks vs Pelicans Prediction

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