Subscribe
Follow Us
The New York Knicks (47-33) visit the New Orleans Pelicans (41-39) on Friday night! Action tips off at 8:10 p.m. ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Knicks-Pelicans prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Here are the Knicks-Pelicans NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Knicks-Pelicans Odds
New York Knicks: +8.5 (-108)
New Orleans Pelicans: -8.5 (-114)
Over: 223.5 (-110)
Under: 223.5 (-110)
How To Watch Knicks vs. Pelicans
TV: MSG, Bally New Orleans
Stream: NBA League Pass
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Knicks Could Cover The Spread
The Knicks have clinched the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference and thus will be resting a number of key players tonight. That includes RJ Barrett, Jalen Brunson, and Mitchell Robinson. Additionally, Julius Randle remains out as he nurses an injury. With so many of their starters out, it makes sense that the Knicks are 8.5-point underdogs. That being said, the Knicks have won two straight while playing their bench guys and will be looking for their sixth-straight win tonight. New York sits in a strong position to cover against an inconsistent Pelicans team.
Article Continues Below
The Knicks got a ton of production out of three of their young guys in their most recent win over Indiana. Immanuel Quickley, Quinten Grimes, and Obi Toppin become the trio pair of Knicks teammates to record 30 points and five made threes a piece. Quickley led the way with 39 points and nine assists. He finished 14/26 from the floor as he continues to make his case for Sixth Man of the Year. Quickley has been lights out down the stretch, averaging 25 PPG and 6.0 APG over his last three games. The third-year pro has really come into his own this season and will look to continue his hot finish tonight.
Quinten Grimes has been arguably the most impressive of the trio. The second-year pro has had a strong season in New York and is finishing strong. With 36 points against the Pacers, Grimes has averaged 25 PPG in 39.2 minutes per game over his last four outings. He's been especially dialed in from beyond the arc, averaging 4.8 threes while shooting 45% from deep over that span. Expect them to get big minutes again tonight and production will likely follow suit.
The X-factor for the Knicks tonight is forward Obi Toppin. The former top-10 pick has seldom gotten a chance to provide his worth over his three-year career as he averaged just 15.1 minutes per game this season. That being said, Toppin impressed down the stretch last season and has done the same thing this year. Toppin eclipsed 30 minutes just nine times in his career. He averaged 25.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 4.0 APG in those games. Additionally, he was highly efficient, shooting 58% overall and 44% from three on 3.3 makes per game. While the Pelicans do have something to play for tonight, expect Toppin to continue to put up numbers if he gets another heavy minutes night.
Why The Pelicans Could Cover The Spread
New Orleans will not be resting players tonight as the Pelicans have a realistic chance to snag the No. 6 seed. Currently, the Pelicans sit in eighth place in the West, tied with the seventh-place Lakers, and just a game back of both the fifth-place Clippers and sixth-place Warriors. At the same time, the ninth-place Timberwolves sit just one game back of them. With so much up in the air still, the Pelicans cannot afford to take any games off. While 8.5 is a lot of points for a team as inconsistent as New Orleans, they could absolutely cover the spread thanks to their superior star power.
Forward Brandon Ingram has been a terror of late and will easily be the most talented player on the court tonight. BI averaged 27.8 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 8.8 APG over his last five games. He shot 49% over that span while nailing 38% of his threes. A constant triple-double threat, Ingram should feast against a Knicks defense that just gave up 129 points to a tanking Pacers squad. Coming off a double-double in their overtime win against Memphis, look for Ingram to be locked in again in a must-win.
The X-factor for New Orleans tonight is wing Trey Murphy. Murphy has been one of the Pelicans' most important players this season as he helped steady the ship with both Ingram and Zion out. That being said, he proved to be more than just a role player in recent games. Over his last five, he averaged 20.4 PPG and 3.8 threes.
Final Knicks-Pelicans Prediction & Pick
While the Knicks don't need this game, their young guys showed me enough last game to make me confident in their ability to keep things close tonight.
Final Knicks-Pelicans Prediction & Pick:
