The two biggest cities in America and their respective basketball teams will clash on the hardwood as the Los Angeles Lakers take on the New York Knicks! Kick up your feet, sit back, and relax to this absolute treat of a weekend showdown! Let's check out our NBA odds series where the Lakers-Knicks prediction and pick will be revealed.

Without the services of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the LA Lakers miraculously came into Boston and handed the Celtics a big, fat loss on their home floor. Clearly, very few people saw this occurring, but with the much-needed victory, the Lakers now sit at the .500 mark with a 25-25 record. Furthermore, Los Angeles is hanging on to relevance by a thread as they currently find themselves in the ninth-place spot out west.

Could the Knicks be the hottest team in the NBA by a considerable margin? Remarkably enough, New York is in the midst of a nine-game winning streak and ultimately have become allergic to losing. While there is plenty of the regular season remaining, the Knicks enter the weekend in a rock-solid position within the playoff picture of the Eastern Conference. Overall, New York boasts a 32-17 record and are only five games back of the Boston Celtics for the top spot on the throne.

Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NBA Odds: Lakers-Knicks Odds

Los Angeles Lakers: +6 (-110)

Moneyline: +198

New York Knicks: -6 (-110)

Moneyline: -240

Over: 231 (-110)

Under: 231 (-110)

How to Watch Lakers vs. Nuggets

Time: 8:30 ET/5:30 PT

TV: ABC

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Lakers Could Cover The Spread/Win

For starters, it remains a mystery on whether or not LeBron and AD return to the starting lineup for this primetime tilt, but at least the Lakers have a red-hot scorer in the form of Austin Reaves. Out of nowhere, it was Reaves who exploded for 32 points to go along with an unfathomable 70% shooting from beyond the arc. For most of the season, the Lakers have been missing a key scorer outside of James and Davis, and Reaves might've solidified his role as the third-fiddle in the scoring department after a career night on the court.

Above all else, the Lakers' best shot at covering the spread under the lights in the Big Apple will be to shore up a defensive pursuit that has struggled for most of the year. Overall, LA gives up 117 points per game but did just give up a measly 105 points to a high-scoring team in the Celtics. Simply put, it is hard to figure out which version of the Lakers is going to show up for play in this pivotal matchup, but if they can find a way to bring the intensity on the defensive end by forcing turnovers and contesting shots at a high rate, then they may be able to pull off another major upset on the road. Not to mention, Los Angeles is in desperate need of winning the rebounding battle against a team that excels on the boards.

Why The Knicks Could Cover The Spread/Win

On the other side of things, it's all about the Jalen Brunson show. After recently being announced to his first-ever All-Star Game, Brunson most recently dropped a whopping 40 points in a narrow home win over the Indiana Pacers. As it stands, Brunson is playing like a certified superstar at the point guard position and should not be taken lightly by anyone.

Unlike the Lakers, the Knicks are known for their defense and is only surrendering 109 points per game which is the second-fewest that the league has to offer. Whether it's forcing contested shots late in the shot clock, or simply committing to a tenacious mindset all game long, New York is an absolute juggernaut on the defensive end of the hardwood. Of course, the addition of OG Anunoby has single-handedly transformed this team into a contending status with his effort defensively. At the moment, Anunoby is slated as questionable for this matchup due to an ailing elbow, but he will have a major impact in this one if he decides to suit up for play.

At the end of the day, this matchup may be close, and when crunch time arrives, the Knicks will have a major advantage at the free-throw line. Over the course of their last three games played, New York is connecting on 83% of their attempts from the charity stripe. Indeed, these Knicks have ice in their veins when the lights shine the brightest.

Final Lakers-Knicks Prediction & Pick

Although the LA came away with the road win in Boston, consider it an anomaly. They have managed to lose six of their last eight games away from home and the Knicks don't appear to be losing anytime soon.

Click here for more betting news and predictions

Final Lakers-Knicks Prediction & Pick: Knicks -6 (-110)