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The New York Knicks will battle the Toronto Raptors on Monday at Scotiabank Arena. It's an Atlantic Division showdown as we continue our NBA odds series and make a Knicks-Raptors prediction and pick.
The Raptors lead the head-to-head series 61-49. Significantly, this will be the first time the teams play one another this season. The Knicks swept the Raptors last season. The Knicks have gone 6-4 over the past 10 games. Additionally, they are 3-2 over the past five games in Toronto.
Here are the Knicks-Raptors NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Knicks-Raptors Odds
New York Knicks: -6 (-110)
Moneyline: -240
Toronto Raptors: +6 (-110)
Moneyline: +198
Over: 229.5 (-110)
Under: 229.5 (-110)
How To Watch Knicks vs. Raptors
Time: 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT
TV: NBA TV, MSG, and TSN
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Knicks Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Knicks are 14-9 but still have some issues, as Jalen Brunson is injured yet still playing through the pain of a lower back injury. Despite Brunson playing against the Detroit Pistons, the Knicks still lost 120-111 at Madison Square Garden. Unfortunately, it snapped a four-game winning streak, and the Knicks must bounce back as they play against a divisional rival. Luckily, they have a team that can get buckets.
The Knicks are second in field-goal and three-point shooting percentages. Additionally, they are the best team in the NBA at converting chances from the free-throw line. However, they have struggled on the boards, ranking 25th in rebounds. New York has done well with the basketball, ranking ninth in assists and fourth in turnovers. Also, the defense has struggled, ranking 27th in blocked shots.
Brunson averages 25.4 points per game while shooting 42.9 percent. Meanwhile, Karl Anthony-Towns has been a great addition to the Knicks. So far, he averages 25.2 points and 13.2 rebounds per game while shooting 53.1 percent. There are some concerns about whether he will play in this game, as he did not play against Detroit. OG Anunoby has been solid. He averages 17.7 points per game while shooting 49 percent from the floor. Mikal Bridges has been good for the Knicks. Additionally, he is heating up in December after he just went off for 20 points on Saturday. Josh Hart continues to be an amazing piece of this offense. He is averaging 14 points per game while shooting 59.8 percent from the floor.
The Knicks will cover the spread if they can continue shooting the basketball well. Then, they must box out and prevent the Raptors from getting second-chance opportunities.
Why the Raptors Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Raptors are struggling. Yet, some positives exist, such as Scottie Barnes's matching a record set by Vince Carter, which has helped the Raptors stay competitive and has improved an inconsistent offense.
The Raptors are 15th in field-goal shooting percentage, including 23rd from beyond the arc. Yet, they are struggling at the charity stripe, ranking 28th in free-throw shooting percentage. Toronto has thrived on the boards, ranking fourth in rebounds. Conversely, they have struggled at holding onto the basketball, ranking 26th in turnovers. The defense has not been much better, ranking 19th in blocked shots.
RJ Barrett is the leading scorer, averaging 23.3 points per game. He had a double-double against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. Barnes averages 21 points per game while shooting 46.1 percent from the floor. Meanwhile, Gradey Dick is doing well, averaging 18.4 points per game. Jakob Poeltl has been a good sparkplug for this team, averaging 16.2 points per game while shooting 59.6 percent from the hardwood.
But the Raptors have been without Immanuel Quickley for the last month. Therefore, they must continue to find ways to replace his output. Ochai Agbaji is an option. Significantly, he is averaging 11.4 points per game while shooting 52.8 percent from the floor, including 46.8 percent from the triples.
The Raptors will cover the spread if they can set up better scoring chances and convert on their opportunities. Then, they must contain Brunson and Towns.
Final Knicks-Raptors Prediction & Pick
The Knicks are 11-11-1 against the spread, while the Raptors are 16-8 against the odds. Moreover, the Knicks are 5-7 against the spread on the road, while the Raptors are 9-3 against the odds at home. The Knicks are 1-2-1 against the spread when facing the Atlantic Division, while the Raptors are 2-0 against the odds when facing their division.
I could see this game going down to the wire. The Knicks have dominated the series recently. However, they don't look like the contenders many believed they would be. While the Raptors are not a good team, they have been competitive. Because of this, I can see them covering the spread at home.
Final Knicks-Raptors Prediction & Pick: Toronto Raptors: +6 (-110)
