New York Knicks vs Houston Rockets: Odds, Spread, and Total
The National Basketball Association put some of its teams to work against patsies such as Brooklyn and Sacramento following the NBA All-Star Break. The New York Knicks were not nearly…
The National Basketball Association put some of its teams to work against patsies such as Brooklyn and Sacramento following the NBA All-Star Break. The New York Knicks were not nearly as lucky, performing against the Eastern Conference's leader Detroit on Thursday. They could be in for just as tough of an encounter on Saturday night when the 34-20 Houston Rockets visit for a tipoff at 8:30 p.m. EST.
The Knicks couldn't start fast enough in their 126-111 loss to the Pistons. Karl-Anthony Towns had a vintage contest with 21 points and 11 rebounds, but the first-place Pistons boasted a magnificent performance from Cade Cunningham, who nailed five treys and scored 42 points on Thursday.
Houston found more success against another hot opponent in the Charlotte Hornets, returning from the NBA All-Star Break with a 105-101 victory. Kevin Durant scored 35 points in an inspired performance, perhaps kissing and making up with Rockets fans following a burner-account social media scandal. Houston's aggressive defense produced 15 steals, and the Rockets shot 49.8% from the field.
New York Knicks vs Houston Rockets Betting Trends
- Home teams have covered spreads five straight times in the matchup.
- New York has beaten four straight Western Conference opponents.
- Betting totals have gone under in four of the last six encounters.
New York Knicks vs Houston Rockets Injury Reports
New York Knicks
- Point guard Miles McBride is out with a pelvis injury.
Houston Rockets
- Center Steven Adams is out for the season with an ankle injury.
- Point guard Fred VanVleet is out with a knee injury.
New York Knicks vs Houston Rockets Predictions and Picks
The Knicks defeated the Rockets eight consecutive times starting just prior to the NBA's COVID-19 bubble period. Houston finally broke up that streak with two wins over New York in the calendar year of 2024. For those betting on the Rockets, it's the club's sour spell in late winter that's more worrying than a bygone losing streak in a matchup. Houston has lost three out of its last six games as its slate turns tougher.
Fans of Jalen Brunson and the Knicks must be pleased with the progress on both ends of the floor. Brunson's offense is ranked ninth in the NBA. New York's sixth overall rank on defense could actually undersell a unit that held four of five foes to 100-or-fewer points in a recent span, including the LA Lakers. Maxwell Ogden of FanSided has an eye on the Knickerbockers' newcomer Jeremy Sochan, a forward who is a “sensational defender” via several metrics and could add more to the Knicks' guarding.
Houston is stingy on defense, too, making the best pick a game-time under-total-points wager against the public. If the Over/Under line has indeed opened too low, it'll see a quick rise due to the Knicks brand, despite the circumstances of an interconference game in which both clubs could rest star cagers.
