The New York Knicks (41-23) will visit the Los Angeles Lakers (38-25) for an NBA clash on Sunday afternoon. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. The game will broadcast live on ABC.
The Knicks are 3-point favorites over the Lakers on the spread (Knicks -3), with the over/under set at 227.5 total points. New York is a -155 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Los Angeles is +130 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Knicks vs. Lakers predictions and NBA picks for Sunday, March 8.
Knicks vs Lakers Prediction, Pick
- Knicks vs Lakers pick: Over 227.5 (-110)
My Lakers vs. Knicks best bet is on the game to go Over 227.5 total points. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
New York Knicks vs Los Angeles Lakers Odds
| Knicks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3 -110 | 227.5 -110o / -110u | -155 |
| Lakers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3 -110 | 227.5 -110o / -110u | +130 |
Knicks vs Lakers NBA Sunday Preview
We have seen sharp action come in on the Lakers heading into this one, and I have to tell you, I don’t love the spot.
The Knicks are coming in after absolutely demolishing Denver in the worst home loss for the Nuggets in the Nikola Jokic era.
The Knicks then flew to Los Angeles on Friday night and have had the weekend in L.A. before a matinee start today.
None of that sounds like a good betting spot.
JJ Redick is surprisingly great in short-spread spots, going 35-23 since the start of last year in spreads inside four points either way.
The Knicks, meanwhile, are 9-12 ATS as road favorites this season.
This reeks of a buy-low spot on the Lakers — but I just can’t get there at this number.
The spread for this matchup suggests the Knicks are somewhere between 4.5 and 5-point favorites on neutral court, with a home-court adjustment for the Lakers.
However, the Lakers are only +0.1 in schedule-adjusted net rating this season, while the Knicks are +6.5.
Based on market ratings via Inpredictable.com, this should be Knicks -4 after giving the Lakers the standard 2.5 points for homecourt advantage.
I make the spread for this game right at this number.
What pulls me towards a lean on the Knicks is the fact that the Lakers can’t beat any team with a pulse.
This season, the Lakers are:
- 15-16 ATS against teams over .500.
- 12-14 ATS against teams over .550.
- 6-10 ATS against teams over .600.
Against teams with a top-10 point differential, the Lakers are 21st in offense, 26th in defense, and a stunning -8.7 (dead last) in spread differential.
Knicks vs Lakers Betting Predictions, Analysis
Knicks -3 (Lean)
There is zero evidence to suggest that this is a good spot to back Lakers spot.
The Nuggets were missing three forwards on Thursday night, haven’t been playing good basketball, and led wire-to-wire vs. the Lakers.
However, the spot is still so bad.
I’m going to stay away, but my strong lean is towards the Knicks.
The Lakers can’t beat good teams. It’s that simple.
Over 227.5
I make the total for this game 232, based on the likelihood the Knicks put up a big number.
Early matinee spots are a little bit concerning. The Under is 63-49-2 in games before 3 p.m. ET in the last three seasons.
- The Over is 16-10 when the Knicks play teams who have an Over rate above 50 percent.
- The Over is 15-12 when the Lakers play a team whose over rate is below 50 percent this season.
- The Lakers remain the 4th-best home Over team in the league.
- The Over is 7-2 when the Lakers are home 'dogs this season.
It’s not like there’s only one element in particular that will likely lead to points here.
The Lakers offense is truly incredible because of how good Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are with the ball. Their on-ball scoring is so elite, and it raises the floor of what are essentially low-percentage opportunities under high contests.
On the other side of that same coin, the Lakers’ defense is truly incredible because there’s nothing they are good at. They don’t take away drives, or cuts, or threes. You can get whatever you want against them.
Meanwhile, the Knicks are 17th in opponent free throw rate. That’s a real weakness: they foul quite a bit.
The Lakers lead the league in free throw rate by a mile. They’ll get to the line, which stops clock and adds points.
I have the Knicks projected at 118 on their own today. I like the Over.
Jalen Brunson Over 25.5 Points
Jalen Brunson has played nine games against teams that are bottom-10 in allowing mid-range attempts and mid-range FG%, and his hit rate on this prop line is 7-for-9 (77%) in those spots.
His average is only 26.9 though, just slightly above his season-average, so I would not recommend ladder plays.
Rui Hachimura Over 1.5 Three-Pointers Made
The Knicks allow the 5th-highest corner three-point rate, and Rui Hachimura is an excellent corner shooter, averaging 1.7 attempts and 44 percent from those spots.
He’ll generate enough opportunities to hit at least two here.
Knicks vs Lakers Best Bets
- Over 227.5 (-110)
- Jalen Brunson Over 25.5 Points (-120)
- Rui Hachimura Over 1.5 Three-Pointers Made (+122)
Knicks vs Lakers Betting Trends
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