New York Knicks vs Houston Rockets Odds, Spread, and Totals
The New York Knicks will play their second Western Conference playoff team in a row when they take on the Houston Rockets at 8 p.m. EST on Tuesday. Two straight…
The New York Knicks will play their second Western Conference playoff team in a row when they take on the Houston Rockets at 8 p.m. EST on Tuesday. Two straight defeats have placed the first seed in the Eastern Conference out of reach for the Knicks, but catching the Boston Celtics and the second seed is an achievable goal with only seven games remaining. Likewise, the Rockets could feasibly end the season as high as the third seed in the West, but any chance at such a seeding must begin with a win on Tuesday.
New York's last game featured a competitive defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder, one that saw the offense shoot only 44% from the field. A more effective outing must be had by the entire team, but forward Karl- Anthony Towns in particular must be a bigger part of the game plan. He only shot nine times against the Thunder, forcing guard Jalen Brunson to act as the lone focal point of the offense against a variety of defensive looks from Oklahoma City. Houston is another solid defensive team, giving the Knicks an excellent opportunity to regain some confidence against a quality opponent.
Houston's end-of-year schedule features a nice mix of tanking teams and playoff-caliber opponents. The best chance for the Rockets to make a run up the standings comes after Tuesday's game, when they face the Milwaukee Bucks, the Utah Jazz, and the Golden State Warriors in order. With only three games head coach Ime Udoka's team from the third seed, a handful of wins and some luck could land Houston in a premier playoff position. Those winning ways have to start off here if the Rockets are to gain some control over their postseason destiny.
Knicks vs Rockets Betting Trends
- New York has failed to cover in three straight games.
- The Knicks are only 9-16 ATS as road favorites.
- The under is 3-2 in New York's last five games.
- Houston has also had a bad run ATS, going 1-4 in its last five.
- The Rockets have only been home underdogs twice this year, and have failed to cover each time.
- The over is 4-1 in Houston's last five contests.
Knicks vs Rockets Injury Reports
New York Knicks
- Miles McBride, G - Questionable.
- Landry Shamet, F - Out.
Houston Rockets
- No injuries of note.
Knicks vs Rockets Prediction and Pick
Any time the Knicks play on the road, their struggles away from Madison Square Garden loom large. Even those struggles are not enough to warrant a bet on the Rockets. Houston has had stretches of completely confounding offensive play, including six-minute periods where it looks like a bottom-5 attack. It has also struggled against opponents of New York's caliber, dropping recent games to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers, and Denver Nuggets. Take the Knicks to win and cover on the road.
