Check out our free Wizards vs Knicks pick and preview for this NBA game in New York. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this NBA matchup.
Wizards vs Knicks NBA Pick & Preview
- Sport: NBA
- Teams: Washington Wizards at New York Knicks
- Where: New York at Madison Square Garden
- Date: Wednesday, January 18th
- Betting Odds NY -6, WAS +200 | NY -249 O/U OFF
The Wizards come into today’s matchup with an overall record of 18-26. So far, the team has gone 18-25-1 against the spread. The Wizards come into the game in the middle of a 2 game losing streak, losing these matchups by an average of -6.5 points per contest.
Washington is trying to bounce back from a 127-118 loss to the Warriors. Going into this game, the team was 3 point underdogs on the spread, giving them an ATS loss. Washington was not able to turn things around in the 2nd half, as they trailed the Warriors by 9 going into halftime. In the loss, Kristaps Porzingis led the team in scoring with 32 points on a field goal percentage of 60.0%.
The Knicks come into today’s matchup with an overall record of 25-20. So far, the team has gone 24-20-1 against the spread. In their previous 3 games, the Knicks are averaging 116 points per game while allowing 111. This has led to a record of 2-1.
The Knicks are coming off a dissappointing 123-121 loss to the Raptors. Going into the game, they were favored to win by 2 points. New York went on to lose the game despite leading by 3 heading into halftime. Leading the team in scoring was RJ Barrett, as he contributed 32 points while hitting 43.5% of his shots.
Head To Head Recap & Stats
I Similar to their season-long average, the Wizards averaged 104.33 points per game vs the Knicks. Similar to the Wizards, the Knicks scored at a rate near the league average. In their games vs Washington, the team averaged 110.33 points per game. The Knicks have had the better record vs the spread over the last 5 games, going 3-2. The team’s average scoring margin in these contests sits at 5 points per game. In these contests, they averaged a combined 213 points per game, leading to an over-under mark of 1-3-1.
Odds & Free Betting Analysis For This NBA Game
The Wizards come into today’s game as the 25th ranked scoring offense at 111.8 points per game. So far, the Wizards are averaging 98.9 possessions per game, which places them below the NBA average. So far, the Wizards offensive game plan has revolved around working the ball inside, as despite being a below-average team in pace they are 11th in made 2-point field goals per game.
On defense, the Wizards will look for some improved play, as they are currently the 16th ranked unit in points allowed per game.
Power-Foward Kyle Kuzma currently leads the Wizards at 21.6 points per game. For the season, he is 36th in the NBA in usage rate and has taken 20.8% of the team’s field goal attempts. In addition to his scoring, Kuzma is averaging 7.5 boards and 3.9 assists per contest. In today’s game, he is facing off against the NBA’s 23rd ranked defense at defending power-fowards. Kristaps Porzingis enters the game sitting second on the team in scoring. Through 39 games, he is averaging 22.2 and is 36th in the league in player efficiency rating.
For the season, the Knicks offensive unit is ranked just 14th in scoring at 114.3 points per contest. When looking at the team’s pace of play, the Knicks are currently below the league average in possessions per game, averaging just 98.1 per contest. A key aspect of the team’s offensive struggles is the fact that they not only play at a slow pace, but they struggle to score inside. Heading into today’s game, New York is just 17th in shots made inside the arc.
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.
On offense, Julius Randle leads the Knicks in scoring at 24.4 points per game, placing him 22nd in the NBA. Overall, Randle has hit 45.7% of his shots while accounting for 19.8% of the team’s looks from the field. In today’s game, he will be working against a defensive unit that is 1st in points allowed to power-fowards. At 22.4 points per game, Jalen Brunson is the 2nd leading scorer for the Knicks. For the season, he is 59th in the league in player efficiency rating, while posting a field goal percentage of 47.0%.
Wizards vs Knicks Pick
- Free Spread Prediction: Knicks -6
- Free Total Prediction: Over OFF
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