The Houston Rockets (32-16) and New York Knicks (32-17) will meet in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The game will broadcast live on NBA TV.
The Knicks are 5-point favorites over the Rockets on the spread (Knicks -5), with the over/under set at 225 total points. New York is a -220 favorite to win outright, while Houston is +180 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Rockets vs. Knicks predictions and NBA picks for Monday, February 3.
Rockets vs. Knicks Picks, Prediction
Spread
My Knicks vs. Rockets best bet is on New York to cover the spread at -5, with the best line currently available at DraftKings. But as always, make sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
Moneyline
I will not be betting either side of the moneyline in this matchup. However, I will be taking the Knicks to win and cover the spread.
Over/Under
I'm staying away from the total in tonight's contest.
My Pick: Knicks -5
Rockets vs. Knicks Odds
| Rockets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5 -110 | 225 -110 / -110 | +180 |
| Knicks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5 -110 | 225 -110 / -110 | -220 |
- Rockets vs. Knicks spread: Knicks -5
- Rockets vs. Knicks over/under: 225 total points
- Rockets vs. Knicks moneyline: Rockets +180, Knicks -220
- Rockets vs. Knicks best bet:Knicks -5 (-110)
Rockets vs. Knicks Preview
The Houston Rockets visit Madison Square Garden to take on the Knicks this Monday night. Both teams sit firmly towards the top of their respective conferences' standings and are having excellent seasons. Let's dive into this matchup between these two 32-win teams.
There are a few key injuries to watch here that impact both teams. The Rockets have listed Alperen Sengun (calf) as Questionable but will be without Jabari Smith (hand) and Fred VanVleet (ankle).
The Knicks have slotted OG Anunoby (foot) and Josh Hart (knee) as Questionable. Anunoby left the Knicks' last game and it was unclear what caused the injury at the time. His status I'd think is more in question than Hart's who has continued to receive this Questionable tag.
Considering this is the front-end of a back-to-back for both teams, it would not be a surprise to see some of these players sit.
The Knicks have even a touch better than the Rockets this season with a +7.7 Net Rating (5th) compared to the Rockets +6.2 Net (6th), per Cleaning the Glass.
The Knicks' defense has started to catch up but if they are without Anunoby they will definitely take a hit there.
For the Rockets, they have thrived on both sides of the ball but their defense has lead the way. They have struggled a bit of late though and have a -1.2 Net Rating over the last two weeks.
If Sengun is unable to go, Amen Thompson sees a slight bump in assists and Tari Eason sees a rebounding jump. Amen should see the biggest boost overall as he sees a jump of about 50% in his assists without FVV as well, per pbp.stats.
For the Knicks, Sengun's status is important because it likely dictates what their defensive approach is to KAT, but either way, the most realistic solution is to play in some sort of a drop with either Sengun or Steven Adams.
KAT's points prop looks good here at 23.5, as well as Brunson's assists.
Rockets vs. Knicks Prediction
Considering this is a tougher game and the front-end of a back-to-back for both teams, it would not surprise me to see both Sengun and Anunoby sit this one out.
The Rockets are already without Fred VanVleet and Jabari, and I think this may be too much to overcome. I'll lay the 5 points with New York on the spread as my best bet.
For my same game parlay, I'll grab Brunson 6+ Assists, KAT 20+ Points, and Amen Thompson 4+ Assists.
Best Bet: Knicks -5 (-110)
Same Game Parlay Picks
- Jalen Brunson 6+ Assists
- Karl-Anthony Towns 20+ Points
- Amen Thompson 4+Assists
Parlay Payout: +140
Knicks vs. Rockets Betting Trends
