The New York Knicks (24-10) and Oklahoma City Thunder (28-5) will square off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The game will broadcast live on NBA TV.
The Thunder are 4.5-point favorites over the Knicks on the spread, with the over/under set at 223.5 total points. Oklahoma City is a -198 favorite to win outright, while New York is +164 to pull off the upset.
Let's get to my Knicks vs. Thunder predictions and NBA picks for Friday, January 3.
Knicks vs. Thunder Prediction, Picks
Spread
My Thunder vs. Knicks best bet is on New York to cover the spread (-4.5), with the best line currently available to bet365. But as always, make sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
Moneyline
I do not have a moneyline pick for this contest. However, in general, I lean toward the Knicks' side.
Over/Under
I'm staying away from the total in tonight's matchup.
My Pick: Knicks +4.5
Knicks vs. Thunder Odds, Spread, Over/Under
| Knicks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -110 | 223.5 -110 / -110 | +164 |
| Thunder Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -110 | 223.5 -110 / -110 | -198 |
- Knicks vs. Thunder spread: Thunder -4.5
- Knicks vs. Thunder over/under: 223.5 total points
- Knicks vs. Thunder moneyline: Knicks +164, Thunder -198
- Knicks vs. Thunder best bet: Knicks +4.5
New York Knicks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Preview
The Knicks face off against the Thunder on Friday night in Oklahoma City. This is a showdown between two of the league's best teams who both have title aspirations at this point in the season. Let's break it down.
The Thunder are playing their third game in four days while the Knicks are on the front end of a back-to-back.
The Knicks have a couple key players on the injury report with Jalen Brunson (calf) and Miles McBride (hamstring) both Questionable for this one after missing last game.
The Thunder also have a few injuries to monitor with Alex Caruso (hip) missing Thursday night's game and Chet Holmgren continuing to miss time with his hip fracture.
One of the key storylines will be Isaiah Hartenstein facing off against his former team after the Knicks were unable to match Oklahoma City's offer in Free Agency due to cap constraints.
Hartenstein has been incredible for the Thunder and he is a key component of their defense without Chet Holmgren. His ability to defend at every level will be critical for dealing with Karl-Anthony Towns tonight.
This matchup will be interesting from a stylistic perspective because these teams have extremely similar personnel. Both teams have a lead guard that is a scoring force. Both teams have elite perimeter defenders and wings, and both teams have strong centers although they play differently.
These teams are 1st and 4th in Adjusted Net Rating on the season. While the Thunder are a bit more defense-first while the Knicks rely heavily on their offense, both of these teams are no slouch on the opposite end of the floor.
One spot that will be interesting to see if how OKC defends the 3-point line. Although the Knicks do not take a ton of 3s, Oklahoma City allows 3s at the second-highest frequency in the league, especially from the corner.
The Knicks have been snipers from beyond the arc in their accuracy. This sets up well for Mikal Bridges. Bridges is shooting an absurd 46% from the corner this season, while taking 22% of his shots from there, per Cleaning the Glass.
Bridges' points line is set at 17.5, a number he has cleared in six of his last 10 games while averaging 21.6 ppg. With two misses at 17, I'll grab the over here against OKC.
Knicks vs. Thunder Best Bets, Predictions
The Knicks and Thunder are two of the league's best teams. However, the Thunder are just 4-4-1 ATS when they are at a rest disadvantage.
It's a small sample size, but considering the Knicks should be able to bomb from 3-point range, they can flip the math battle here.
With this spread at nearly two possessions, I'll grab the points with the Knicks, the fourth-best team on the road this season.
For a same game parlay, I'll take Bridges 15+ Points, Hart 8+ Rebounds, and Hartenstein 10+ Rebounds.
Best Bet: Knicks +4.5 (-110)
Knicks vs. Thunder Parlay Picks
- Mikal Bridges 15+ Points (-250)
- Josh Hart 8+ Rebounds (-240)
- Isaiah Hartenstein 10+ Rebounds (-190)
Parlay Payout: +180
