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The New York Knicks will hit the road to take on the New Orleans Pelicans in a pivotal game for two teams on the cusp of a playoff birth. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Knicks-Pelicans prediction and pick.
Both teams enter this game riding three-game winning streaks. Continuing this current streak will be of the utmost importance for each of these clubs as they both look to position themselves in the first ever play-in tournament. This will be the first of two games between the Knicks and the Pelicans this week.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Knicks-Pelicans odds.
NBA Odds: Knicks-Pelicans Odds
New York Knicks +2.5 (-110)
Over 220 Points (-110)
Under 220 Points (-110)
Why The Knicks Could Cover The Spread
The New York Knicks are starting to find their groove again at the right time down the stretch. They are 28-27 on the season and are currently riding a three-game winning streak coming in. The Knicks are looking to climb the Eastern Conference standings and avoid participating in the play-in tournament. New York is coming off of an impressive win against the Lakers in their last game as Julius Randle led the way for the Knicks with 34 points and 10 rebounds.
The Knicks have been playing very well of late, covering in all of their last six games. They have been great on the road, going 7-1 ATS in their last eight games away from New York. We all know what this team is capable of doing on the defensive end. New York is the best team in the league in points allowed and field goal percentage against in 2021. What's most promising for the Knicks is the steady improvement that they've seen on the offensive end of the floor, though. New York has scored at least 110 points in three of their last five games coming in.
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Why The Pelicans Could Cover The Spread
The New Orleans Pelicans are coming off of a great week of their own, as they'll be looking to win their fourth straight game. New Orleans defeated the East-leading Philadelphia 76ers to begin this current streak. The Pelicans defeated the Sacramento Kings by a score of 117-110 in their last game. The recent win catapulted the Pelicans to just one game back of a play-in spot. Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram led the way for New Orleans with 64 combined points.
New Orleans has played very well of late, going 4-2 in their last six games against some higher quality competition. The Pelicans have also been great at home against New York, winning four of their last five head-to-head meetings against the Knicks. New Orleans has found success this season behind their top-10 offensive output. The defense has been an issue, but has been slightly better at home this season. The Pelicans may find that the ultimate edge will come on the boards as they're the best rebounding team in basketball.
Final Knicks-Pelicans Prediction & Pick
In a game that is expected to be close throughout, I'm leaning toward the over in a back-and-forth type of brawl. New Orleans can score at will and loves playing on their home court. Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are extremely efficient from the field and will almost certainly replicate their performances from the previous game. The Knicks have started to find their identity on the offensive end and will be able to score against a sub-par Pelicans defense. New Orleans has seen 12 of their last 18 games at home go over the total.
FINAL PICK: Over 220 Points (-110)
