Los Angeles Lakers at New York Knicks Betting Preview
The Lakers head to MSG to play the Knicks as their east coast trip continues. Their last game ended up featuring a fight of sorts between LeBron James and Isaiah Stewart in Detroit. And as a result of throwing an elbow to his face, James is going to be suspended for this game, something we never expected to happen for his on-court actions.
It was merited, though, and then the situation escalated further. The biggest thing for L.A. is that they were able to rally from a hefty deficit in the final frame to win the contest and move back to .500. This has been a brutal beginning to their season, losing a lot more than anybody could have predicted. With Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis here, they still have a good chance.
The Knicks have gone 9-8 this year and would likely be a lot worse if not for their bench. They have bailed them out time and time again, making key plays on both ends of the floor as needed. Between Derrick Rose, Obi Toppin, and Alec Burks, they have rescued the team a number of times. And then Immanuel Quickley has big games every now and then.
This is an important one for NY as they look to avoid falling back to .500. They would also love to stomp the Lakers.
Betting Odds & Lines
The spread for the game is set at NYK -3.5. The over/under is sitting at 214.5 points. The NYK moneyline is -158, while LAL is +130.
LakeShow Looks for Winning Record
This year for the Lakers has gone just like LeBron James’ first year in L.A. They were getting some wins, though ultimately losing more often. He has dealt with injuries now in three of four seasons, as age has slowly begun to catch up. When he actually steps on the court, he can still produce, which is what is most important.
Davis has been locked in and putting up massive performances throughout the year. Health is still a concern, but he’s capable of taking over the game. And the return of Talen Horton-Tucker gives them another key option out there.
Let’s see how their defense works to stop Julius Randle and R.J. Barrett.
Knicks Look for Home Win
With LeBron unavailable, they will have a better chance to win than if he was on the floor. But this is still going to be a tough game. The brutal start for the Lakers has been something they’re not proud of, and as seen in Detroit, they’re fed up with the losing and starting to play harder.
They will need their game plan, whatever it is, to stay consistent and work from the beginning. Kemba Walker has not been too good for them, and it is very clear that Tom Thibodeau prefers the stylings of Derrick Rose. This is like the Elfrid Payton conundrum from last year almost.
Knicks Win at Home
The game will be a tight one, and the crowd will roar to life, igniting the Knicks to a home win.
Betting Picks: NYK -3.5, Under 214.5
