The New York Knicks were the hottest team in the NBA last week but are now in danger of losing their fourth straight game when they take on the Dallas Mavericks tonight.
The Knicks limped to a 1-3 home stand, punctuated with a 119-112 loss to the 76ers on Christmas Day. The Mavericks won their Christmas Day clash with the Lakers, 124-115, and have now been victorious in three consecutive games.
Will Luka Doncic and Co. keep on rolling? Find out in our free NBA picks and predictions for Knicks vs. Mavericks on Tuesday, December 27.
Knicks vs Mavericks best odds
Knicks vs Mavericks picks and predictions
The Knicks might have been an appealing play catching some points on the road with a healthy and extra-motivated Jalen Brunson, but as it stands, the Mavericks look like the proper side on Tuesday night.
Dallas’ former point guard —who signed a four-year, $104 million pact to play for New York in the offseason — is in danger of missing his first game as a Knick after leaving his new club’s Christmas contest with Philadelphia late in the fourth quarter with a hip injury. Mum’s the word regarding his status for this tilt, meaning he’s likely to be at less than 100% even if he does suit up.
Brunson has been instrumental to New York’s success this year, averaging over 20 points a night and a team-high 6.6 assists per game. He recorded 20.3 points and 7.1 assists per match during the Knicks’ eight-game win streak that ran from December 4 to December 20.
Julius Randle and RJ Barrett are both having outstanding campaigns and look sharp right now, as Randle fell just short of his season-high with 35 points on Christmas Day, and Barrett dropped a year’s best 44 points in a loss to the Bulls on Friday. However, Brunson’s ailment could leave this offense rudderless, with Randle and Barrett suffering as a result.
Meanwhile, Tom Thibodeau’s squad will have to try and formulate an answer to Dallas’ Luka Doncic, who’s having yet another excellent year. The native Slovenian has come tantalizingly close to a triple-double in each of his last three contests — all triumphs — while averaging 35.7 points, 9.7 assists, and 8.7 rebounds per game. The 50 points he dropped against the Rockets on Friday was a season-high.
Bettors may want to place a half-wager on Dallas now at this fair spread and wait for a Brunson injury update and possible line movement before wagering the rest of the potential stake.
My best bet: Mavericks -4.5 (-110 at PointsBet)
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Knicks vs Mavericks spread analysis
Location usually plays a key part in NBA handicapping, and this game is no different.
The Knicks have actually been better on the road than at home this year, going 10-6 compared to just 8-10 at Madison Square Garden. However, the Mavericks have excelled at American Airlines Center this season, with a record of 13-5 at home compared to 5-11 on the road. Doncic has been noticeably better at home as well, averaging 34.3 points per game compared to 30.9 away from AAC.
The Mavs’ defense also tends to play a much tighter game at home, allowing only 105.9 points per game compared to 109.5 overall. Opponents are hitting 48% of their shots from the floor overall against Dallas, but that figure drops to 46.3% when the Mavs are on home court. That includes a fall from 35.8% to 33.6% from 3-point range.
Trend bettors should note that the Mavericks are 12-3-1 against the spread in their last 16 home games against teams with winning road records, including a 6-2-1 ATS run in their last nine home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600.
Knicks vs Mavericks Over/Under analysis
The Mavericks had gone below the total four straight times prior to Christmas Day, and it might have been five straight times if not for a 51-point outburst against the Lakers in the third quarter. Expect a return to form for Dallas in this spot.
Secondary scoring for the Mavs has been somewhat inconsistent this season, with Christian Wood (17.3 ppg) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (13.5 ppg) seldom on the same page as they were on Sunday. Wood dropped 30 that day while Hardaway added 26, but bettors should fade an encore from at least one of them here.
The Knicks play a solid brand of defense on the road, allowing 110.4 points per game. That figure rises to 112.1 when weighing both home and road contests. New York surrendered a mere 97.8 points per game during its eight-game winning streak.
The Under is 13-3 in the last 16 meetings between these two teams, 10-3 in the Knicks’ last 13 road games, and 29-10-1 in the Mavericks’ last 40 against teams with winning road records.
Knicks vs Mavericks betting trend to know
Dallas is 5-2-1 ATS in its last eight games against teams with winning records. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Mavericks.
Knicks vs Mavericks game info
| Location: | American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX |
| Date: | Tuesday, December 27, 2022 |
| Tip-off: | 8:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | MSG, Bally Sports Southwest |
