New York Knicks vs Los Angeles Lakers Betting Pick & Prediction 12/18/23

Making on a bet on this NBA game featuring the Knicks versus the Lakers? Tip off is at at 10:30 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on SN-LA. The game will be played at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 227.5 points, with the Lakers being the favored team playing at home against the Knicks.

NEW YORK KNICKS VS LOS ANGELES LAKERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: New York Knicks +4.5

This game will be played at Crypto.com Arena at 10:30 ET on Monday, December 18th.

WHY BET THE NEW YORK KNICKS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 116-112 in favor of the Knicks.
• Our projections have Jalen Brunson finishing with Jalen Brunson points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists.
• From the field, we have the Knicks finishing with a field goal percentage of 50.0% and knocking down 14 threes.

Can New York Pull Out the Win as Road Underdogs?

As they prepare to take on the Lakers, the Knicks are focused on keeping their record above .500, which is currently 14-11. When playing on the road, the Knicks are 7-8 this season, compared to a 7-3 record at home.

New York comes in with an overall ATS record of 14-11 so far this season. As the favorite this season, New York is 9-5 vs. the spread while going 5-6 as the underdog.

The Knicks are coming off a good offensive performance, putting up 122 points vs. the Clippers. This figure is more than their season average of 114.5 points per game. New York’s offense is currently one of the slower paced teams in the NBA, at 96 possessions per game. In terms of three-point shooting, they are 12th in attempts and 4th in three-point shooting percentage.

At this time, the Knicks’ defense is positioned 9th in the NBA, permitting 111.8 points per game.

New York’s defense is currently forcing 12.1 turnovers per game, which is 5th in the league. Additionally, they enter the game ranked 29th in blocked shots, with an average of 3.2 rejections per game.

Do the Lakers Have What it Takes to Win as Home Favorites?

Coming into today’s game against the Knicks, the Lakers have an overall record of 15-11 and are 1-2 in their last three games. In the Western Conference, they are currently 8th and are 3rd in the Pacific division.

Los Angeles’ ATS record is currently below .500 at 11-15 for the season. The Lakers have two straight ATS losses as the underdog and are 8-9 vs. the spread as the favorite.

In their previous game, the Lakers’ offense finished with 115 points, which is right in line with their current average of 114 points per contest. LeBron James led the scoring for the Lakers, contributing 23 points. Additionally, Austin Reaves chipped in with 22 points.

At present, the Lakers’ defense is ranked 12th, allowing 113.5 points per game.

Inside the arc, the Lakers defense is giving up a shooting percentage of 51.7% and 37.1% from three-point territory.