Knicks vs Jazz Picks and Predictions: New York's road trip starts on sour note

The New York Knicks will look to climb back to the .500 mark when they start a west coast swing against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena on Tuesday night. The Knicks have played their customary brand of mediocre basketball lately, dropping six of their last nine games. However, the Jazz have lost two straight heading into this one, so something has to give in this spot.

Which team should bettors place their faith in? Find out in our free NBA picks and predictions for Knicks vs. Jazz on November 15.

Knicks vs Jazz best odds

Knicks vs Jazz picks and predictions

The Jazz have the Knicks beat in a pair of key areas that make this point spread seem generous for the home favorites. New York head coach Tom Thibodeau’s seat could become a whole lot hotter by the time this one is done.

Utah has raced out to a 10-5 record in the post-Donovan Mitchell era thanks mainly to its offense, which is averaging 116.9 points per game, fifth in the NBA. Lauri Markkanen leads the club with 21.8 points per game, and has thrice crossed the 30-point plateau through 15 games.

Jordan Clarkson has gone from a Sixth Man of the Year to an every-game starter, and has responded by averaging 18.1 points per tilt. Collin Sexton has filled Clarkson’s shoes, averaging 14 points per game off the bench. They’ll be taking their shots against a Knicks team that allows 116.8 points per game, 25th in the league. No team in basketball is allowing more opponent field goal attempts per game than New York (93.1), partly due to the fact that it's 26th in rebounds allowed per contest (46.4).

These results are shocking for a team head manned by Thibodeau, who has always been a “defense first” coach. It could lead to his getting the axe before long and serving as a scapegoat during what’s been another disappointing year for Knicks fans. New York will be hard-pressed to match Utah’s offensive production, as playing catch-up with the three-ball could prove impossible.

The Knicks are 28th in long-range shooting percentage (32.5%) this season, while the Jazz defense rank third in the corresponding category (32.5% against). Jalen Brunson wasn’t brought in to be a three-point assassin, but his 29.4% shooting from deep is his lowest mark since his 2018-19 rookie campaign. The same can be said for RJ Barrett, who is shooting 30.6% from beyond the arc this year.

All signs are pointing to a slow start on a grueling west coast road trip for New York, so bettors should lay the points with Utah.

My best bet: Jazz -4.5 (-115 at BetMGM)

Knicks vs Jazz spread analysis

We’re far enough along in this NBA season to see some definitive sample sizes from certain players, and the results are not good for the Knicks. Barrett averaged 20 points per game last season but has fallen to 18.9 in 2022-23. That includes his dismal four-point effort on 2-of-10 shooting on Sunday that saw him benched for virtually all of the second half.

New York’s veterans, specifically Evan Fournier and Derrick Rose, aren’t seeing many minutes this year. Their play hasn’t justified an increase in volume, as Fournier is shooting a career-worst 34.4% from the floor, while Rose is hitting only 38.3% of his shots, his worst mark since 2013-14.

Meanwhile, the Jazz have seen marked improvements from leading scorers Markkanen and Clarkson, as both are in career-best form by points per game. Mike Conley, one of the veteran leaders on Utah at age 35, is currently averaging a career-high 8.1 assists per game at point guard.

The Jazz have won all five games they’ve played at home this season, going 4-1 against the spread. It remains to be seen if Utah can keep this level of play up throughout the year, but regression shouldn’t happen in this spot.

Knicks vs Jazz Over/Under analysis

Sharp money is pouring in on the Over as of this writing, dominating the handle at 80% to 20% despite trailing in ticket volume 55% to 45%. Oddsmakers have quickly adjusted, moving what seems like an already lofty total of 230.5 up to as high as 232.5.

Bettors should expect some buyback on the Under before long and head that way instead. The Knicks are far from an elite defensive unit, but they’re better than the effort they put forth on Sunday at Madison Square Garden when the Thunder torched them for 145 points. They’ve also played better on the road than one might think, allowing only 113 points per game, in line with the NBA average.

Meanwhile, the Jazz showed that they can have an off-night on offense when they were held to a season-low 98 points by Joel Embiid and the 76ers on Sunday. Trend bettors should note that the Knicks have gone below the total in four straight games following a double-digit loss at home, as well as in five straight affairs against teams with winning records.

The Under is 5-2 in Utah’s last seven home games and 7-1 in its last eight games following a spread loss.

Knicks vs Jazz betting trend to know

The Under is 21-8-1 in the Knicks’ last 30 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Jazz.

Knicks vs Jazz game info

Knicks vs Jazz key injuries

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