The New York Knicks and Utah Jazz face off for the second time this season in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Knicks-Jazz prediction and pick.
The Knicks are 8-10 straight up and 9-9 against the spread. In their last matchup, the Knicks came back from a 22-point deficit but fell short against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Jazz stand at 12-4 overall, and they are a league best 11-5 against the spread. Utah has won eight straight games, most recently defeating the Golden State Warriors.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Knicks-Jazz odds in the rematch.
NBA Odds: Knicks-Jazz Odds
New York Knicks +11.5 (-113)
Utah Jazz -11.5 (-107)
Over 211.5 Points (-110)
Under 211.5 Points (-110)
Why The Knicks Could Cover The Spread
The Jazz have been on a monster run as of late, running off eight straight wins. Their last loss? Jan 6th against the Knicks.
The Knicks beat the Jazz the way they've gotten most of their wins: Defense.
New York held Utah's sharpshooters to 14-44 from deep in their last matchup, with Donovan Mitchell shooting 2-10 from three and Mike Conley going 0-6.
While it's unlikely the Jazz shoot this poorly again, the Knicks' perimeter defense has been very solid all year.
New York's defense holds opponents to the lowest three-point percentage in the league and has allowed the eighth least three-point field goals made in their matchups.
This will be badly needed against a Jazz team that is second in three-point percentage and has been lighting it up from deep lately.
Another factor that is working in the Knicks' favor is their recent resilience. After getting blown out a few times to start the season, New York has been hanging around with tough teams.
In their last seven games, New York has either won or lost by single digits against a slate including the Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, and Warriors.
The Knicks might not be in the same category as the Jazz right now, but they've proven they can compete with better talent.
Why The Jazz Could Cover The Spread
While the Knicks defense has been nothing to scoff at this season, the Jazz have a serious advantage on the offensive end.
Utah ranks in the top-five in offensive efficiency, while New York is in the bottom five.
In their last two games, the Jazz have scored over 120 points, blowing out their opponents with ease. Granted, these were significantly weaker opponents defensively (Pelicans and Warriors), but Mitchell and company are in an offensive groove.
It's almost statistically impossible that two of the Jazz's best shooters combine to go 2-16 from deep again against the Knicks, at least again.
Mitchell is shooting 40% from three, and Conley is shooting 42%. The bar is set low from the last matchup between these two squads, and it is near guaranteed that the Jazz duo will raise it.
Utah has offensive weapons that the Knicks can't hope to match. In addition to Mitchell and Conley, Jordan Clarkson is the leading candidate for Sixth Man of the Year odds and Bojan Bogdanovic is always a shooting threat.
On the defensive end, the Jazz look primed to prove the last game was an anomaly. Austin Rivers scored a season-high 23 points against Utah in the Knicks' win, and he s questionable for this matchup. Even if he does play, it's a better bet he scores closer to his season average of 8.3 than topping 20 points again.
Final Knicks-Jazz Prediction & Pick
The Jazz are clearly a superior team and have been a covering machine, but 11.5 points seems like a lot to me. Both teams like to slow the pace, and this will likely be a low-scoring game. In a matchup where both teams will be hovering around the 100-point mark, I'll take the points with the Knicks. Utah should avenge their earlier loss, but I predict New York keeps it close.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: UTA 109, NYK 103 (KNICKS +11.5)
Follow Us
Subscribe