Knicks vs Kings Pick, Preview & Betting Odds For Thursday, March 9th

Check out our free Knicks vs Kings pick and preview for this NBA game in Sacramento. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this NBA matchup.

Knicks vs Kings NBA Pick & Preview

Sport: NBA
Teams: New York Knicks at Sacramento Kings
Where: Sacramento at Golden 1 Center
Date: Thursday, March 9th
Betting Odds SAC -4, NY +143 | SAC -175 O/U OFF

So far, the Knicks have put together an overall record of 39-28, while going 38-28-1 vs the spread. Across the team’s previous 3 games, they have gone 2-1 straight-up and 2-1 vs the spread.

The Knicks are coming off a disappointing 112-105 loss to the Hornets. Going into the game, they were favored to win by 9 points. New York let an opportunity for a win slip away as they held a lead going into the 2nd half of action. In the loss, RJ Barrett led the team in scoring with 27 points on a field goal percentage of 41.7%.

The Kings come into today’s matchup with an overall record of 38-26. So far, the team has gone 34-29-1 against the spread. In their previous 3 games, the Kings are averaging 128 points per game while allowing 124. This has led to a record of 2-1.

In their previous game, the Kings took down the Pelicans by a score of 123-108. Not only did they come away with a straight up win, but they also covered the spread as 4 point favorites. Sacramento and the Pelicans entered the second half all tied at 59. Leading the team in scoring was Kevin Huerter, as he contributed 25 points while hitting 56.2% of his shots.

Head To Head Recap & Stats

In the most recent matchup between the two teams, the Knicks picked up the 112-99 win over the Kings. The Knicks point margin of victory was enough to cover the spread as 2.5 point favorite. This has been the only matchup between the two teams this season. In last year’s head-to-head meetings, the Knicks averaged 123.5 points per game vs Sacramento, which was an increase over their season-long average. While the Knicks saw a boost in scoring, the Kings averaged 105.5 points per contest in head-to-head meeting vs New York. This figure was similar to season-long average. In terms of betting, New York has an ATS record of 4-1 in the previous 5 matchups vs Sacramento. This mark has come on an average scoring margin of +12 points per game in favor of the Knicks. New York and Sacramento averaged a combined 224 points per game in these games, leading to an over-under mark of 2-2-1.

Odds & Free Betting Analysis For This NBA Game

Heading into play, the Knicks offense is rated 12th in the league in scoring, averaging 115.3 points per contest. Coming into today’s game, the Knicks will be looking to improve their 3-point shooting numbers, as they are averaging just 12.4 made 3’s per game. If New York continues to struggle with their outside shot, they may look to start playing with more pace, as they are currently 24th in the league in possessions per game.

On the defensive end of the floor, the Knicks are giving up an average of 106.6 points per game, good for 6th in the NBA.

Before getting a bet down on this matchup, be sure to check in on the health status of Jalen Brunson who is 2nd on the team in scoring at 23.9 points per game. At the time of this article, Brunson is listed as questionable. For the season, he is 4th on the team in usage rate and is 42nd in the NBA in player efficiency rating. If he is able to play, New York benefit from having both of their top scorers as Julius Randle leads the team and is 20th in the league in scoring (25.3). For today’s matchup, he will going against a defense ranked 1st in points allowed to power-fowards.

Sacramento will look to continue with their strong offensive play, as they are averaging 121.1 points per game (1st). In terms of pace, the Kings are on the top units in the NBA, averaging 100.9 possessions per game. Not only is the team playing at an up-tempo pace, but they have been able to pair this style with one of the better field goal percentages in the NBA at 50.0%.

Currently, the Kings defense is ranked 29th in points allowed. So far, opposing teams are averaging 115.77 points per game vs the unit.

On offense, De’Aaron Fox leads the Kings in scoring at 25.5 points per game, placing him 18th in the NBA. Overall, Fox has hit 51.5% of his shots while accounting for 21.1% of the team’s looks from the field. In today’s game, he will be working against a defensive unit that is 12th in points allowed to point-guards. At 18.9 points per game, Domantas Sabonis is the 2nd leading scorer for the Kings. For the season, he is 25th in the league in player efficiency rating, while posting a field goal percentage of 61.5%.