The New York Knicks (40-21) will visit the Los Angeles Lakers (39-21) in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 10 p.m. ET from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. The game will be broadcast live on TNT.
The Lakers are 2.5-point home favorites over the Knicks on the spread (Lakers -2.5), with the over/under set at 231 total points. Los Angeles is a -142 favorite to win outright, while New York is +120 to pull off the upset.
Let's get to my Knicks vs. Lakers predictions and NBA picks for Thursday, March 6.
Knicks vs Lakers Prediction, Odds, Picks
| Knicks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -110 | 231 -110 / -110 | +120 |
| Lakers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -110 | 231 -110 / -110 | -142 |
- Knicks vs. Lakers spread: Lakers -2.5
- Knicks vs. Lakers over/under: 231 total points
- Knicks vs. Lakers moneyline: Knicks +120, Lakers -142
- Knicks vs. Lakers best bet: Over 231 (-110)
My Lakers vs. Knicks best bet is on the Over at 231 total points, with the best line currently available at BetMGM. But as always, make sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
My Pick: Over 231
New York Knicks Knicks vs Los Angeles Lakers NBA Preview
The Knicks start a West Coast road trip against the scorching hot Lakers who are dominating with the new dynamic duo of Luka Doncic and LeBron James. The Knicks have struggled of late, so this is a key game as they look to get back on track, especially against the top teams in the league.
The Knicks have a lengthy injury report with Precious Achiuwa (Hamstring), OG Anunoby (thumb), and Mitchell Robinson (Ankle) all listed as Questionable. They did upgrade Karl-Anthony Towns status and said he will be available after missing the last game due to personal reasons.
The Lakers have ruled Rui Hachimura (knee) out already. They have also listed Luka Doncic (knee), LeBron James (foot), and Austin Reaves (calf) as Probable for this game.
The Lakers are 7-1 with a +10.2 Net Rating since the All-Star Break. They have the league's best defense (105.0) despite the offense being only average thus far, per Cleaning the Glass. Based on the personnel, the expectation is the offense would be elite more so than the defense; however, it takes some time to gel with Luka's style of play.
Over this stretch, the Knicks have struggled. They are 4-3 but the advanced numbers are bad. They have a -6.7 Point Differential and their elite offense is scoring just 109.7 points per 100 possessions, per Cleaning the Glass.
One of New York's problems is they are barely shooting 3s and then they are making just 33.8% of them compared to their full season mark of 37%, a significant swing.
On the flip side, the Lakers are taking 45% of their shots from beyond the arc which is making up for a 34% shooting percentage from deep. On defense though, the Lakers are allowing a flurry of 3s but they are limiting their opponents to a league-best 32.7%. There is some concern that their defense is not going to hold up long term.
The Lakers are taking early money here and the line has moved towards them overnight. The Knicks have been brutal ATS this season, especially over their last 10 with a 2-8 ATS record compared to LA who is 7-3.
Both teams' defenses leave something to be desired. The Lakers seemingly are overperforming on that side of the ball, while the Knicks have generally struggled against elite offenses. Given that, I'll grab over 230 and expect some points.
For my same game parlay, I'll take LeBron 8+ Rebounds, Luka 25+ Points, and KAT 2+ Three-Pointers.
Knicks vs Lakers Best Bet
- Over 231 (-110)
