New York Knicks vs Los Angeles Lakers Betting Pick & Prediction 3/6/25
The New York Knicks head to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers in a non-conference matchup. The Lakers are favored by 4.5 points and have won seven straight games. The over/under line is set at 229.5.
This game is scheduled to tip off at 10:00 ET and can be seen on TNT. The Knicks are 40-21 and currently sit third in the Eastern Conference, while the Lakers are 39-21 and second in the Western Conference.
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 10:00 ET on Thursday, March 6th.
WHY BET THE NEW YORK KNICKS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 133-113 in favor of the Knicks.
- Our projections have Jalen Brunson finishing with 27 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists.
- From the field, we have the Knicks finishing with a field goal percentage of 47.6% and knocking down 14 threes.
Will the Knicks Make it Happen in Los Angeles?
The Knicks dropped to 40-21 on the season after a 114-102 home loss to the Warriors on Tuesday. New York, favored by 1 point, failed to cover the spread, and the game’s total of 216 points fell short of the 226.5 O/U line.
New York led 55-47 at halftime, but Golden State took control in the 2nd half, outscoring the Knicks 35-26 in the 3rd quarter. An 11-0 run by the Warriors in the 4th quarter turned the game in their favor.
In Tuesday’s loss to the Warriors, the Knicks struggled offensively, hitting just 24.2% from beyond the arc with only 8 made threes. Their overall field goal percentage was 44.6%, contributing to their 102-point effort.
OG Anunoby led the way with 29 points, connecting on 4 threes at a 44.4% rate. Jalen Brunson added 25 points, scoring 9 in the opening quarter and another 8 in the second.
The Knicks put together strong defensive efforts in the 1st and 2nd quarters, giving up just 25 and 22 points, respectively. However, they struggled in the 2nd half, allowing 35 points in the 3rd quarter and 32 in the 4th, leading to a 114-102 loss to the Warriors.
Overall, the Knicks allowed Golden State to shoot 48% from the field, including 35% from three-point range, where the Warriors hit 13 threes. The Knicks sent the Warriors to the free-throw line 19 times, where they made 15. Defensively, New York recorded 4 steals and 2 blocks.
Are Los Angeles Ready for a Home Win?
The Lakers improved to 39-21 after a 136-115 win over the Pelicans on Tuesday. L.A. covered the -7.5 point spread, and the game’s total of 251 points exceeded the O/U line of 228.5 by 22.5 points.
An 11-0 run by the Lakers extended their lead from 46-43 to 57-43. After a competitive 2nd quarter, the Lakers outscored New Orleans 33-25 in the 3rd and 34-31 in the 4th.
LeBron James and Luka Dončić led the Lakers to a 136-115 win over the Pelicans, with LeBron scoring 34 points and hitting 5 threes at a 50% rate, while Dončić added 30 points and 15 assists, making 6 threes at 46.2%. Jaxson Hayes was perfect from the field, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
The Lakers connected on 19 threes, shooting 36.5% from deep and 53.3% overall. Dončić scored 17 points in the 1st quarter, while Hayes added 15 in the 2nd. LeBron put up 13 points in the 3rd, and Dalton Knecht scored 9 of his 13 points in the 4th.
Defensively, the Lakers were strong in the 1st and 3rd quarters, giving up just 23 and 25 points, respectively, but they allowed 36 points in the 2nd quarter. Overall, they held the Pelicans to 115 points on 49% shooting.
From beyond the arc, the Lakers were excellent, holding the Pelicans to just 9 made threes on 26% shooting. They also sent New Orleans to the line 21 times, where they hit 14 free throws. The Lakers finished with 7 steals and 5 blocks.