The New York Knicks have won a bunch of close games, including an overtime win on Sunday in Miami, to move to 40-20 in the 2024-25 season.
The Knicks are just 2.5 games out of the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, and they find themselves as favorites against Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night.
This is the second night of a back-to-back for the Warriors, who won against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. Golden State is now 8-1 when Butler is in the lineup, and it holds the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference.
Jalen Brunson and the Knicks have seen their NBA Finals odds dip, but they’ve beaten some good Western Conference teams (including Memphis on Friday) this season. Can they keep that trend going against Golden State?
Here’s a breakdown of the odds, players to watch in the prop market and my prediction for Tuesday night.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Spread
Moneyline
Total
Warriors Injury Report
Knicks Injury Report
Golden State Warriors Best NBA Prop Bet
Steph Curry has 13 and 10 assists in his last two games, and he’s picked up at least six dimes in five of his last six contests. Overall, Curry is averaging 6.2 assists per game for the season.
This isn’t the best matchup (the Knicks are 12th in opponent assists per game), but Curry has put up 6.6 assists per game since the Jimmy Butler trade. I like him in this market on Tuesday.
New York Knicks Best NBA Prop Bet
With Karl-Anthony Towns listed as questionable on Tuesday, Jalen Brunson could be in line for a huge game for the Knicks.
Brunson is coming off a 31-point game in a win over the Miami Heat, and he’s averaging 28.0 points per game over his last 11 contests. In that stretch, Brunson has six games where he’s cleared this number.
The Knicks guard hasn’t scored as much as last season, but he’s taken over games late, moving to the favorite to win Clutch Player of the Year this season. If Towns is out, Brunson is a steal at this number.
Earlier today, I shared my best bet for this game in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – and I’m buying the underdog Warriors:
I only am playing one side on Tuesday, but it’s going back to the well on a team that covered as a road favorite for us on Monday.
The Golden State Warriors are now 8-1 in the nine games that Jimmy Butler has played in, and they enter this matchup with the New York Knicks with a 8-6 against the spread record as road underdogs this season.
I’m taking the points with the Warriors in this contest, as they have the third-best net rating in the NBA over their last 10 games. Over that same stretch, the Knicks are shockingly 21st in the league in net rating despite winning seven of their last 10 games.
New York has played a ton of close games (in its wins), and it’s been blown out in its losses, which leads to a rather poor net rating. After the Knicks failed to cover against the Philadelphia 76ers at home last week, I think they’ll have a tough time with a Golden State team that has looked like a title contender since the Butler deal.
Even though this is the second game of a back-to-back for the Warriors, they won by enough on Monday against Charlotte that they were able to rest some of their veterans. Don’t be shocked if Golden State is in the mix to pull off an upset tonight.
Pick: Warriors +5 (-112 at DraftKings)
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Find Peter Dewey’s NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.
Are you new to DraftKings? Sign up today and place a $5 bet to earn a guaranteed $150 in bonus bets. Win or lose, DraftKings will issue six $25 bonus bets instantly.