The New York Knicks are the best team in the NBA at beating up lower-tiered squads. New York will look to move to 17-0 against teams with a losing record when it hosts the hapless Washington Wizards tonight.
Washington is part of the core four awful teams in the Association and have three wins in their last 15. Perhaps it’s a little surprising they’re only 10-point road dogs in the NBA odds.
With the Knicks playing on back-to-back nights, is there any chance for a letdown? Read below for my free Wizards vs. Knicks NBA picks on Thursday, January 18.
Wizards vs Knicks odds
Wizards vs Knicks predictions
How bad are things in DC? Well, consider that in any other NBA season, the 7-32 Washington Wizards would be the absolute dregs of the league. This year, though, the Hornets (8-31) and Spurs (7-32) are right with them, games above the absolute bottom feeders from Detroit, who are a brutal 4-36. The Pistons’ fourth win came on the road against these same Wizards, a 129-117 embarrassment.
Now, they take on the New York Knicks, the only team in the NBA to not have an L against a team with a .500 or worse record. They’re coming off a 109-94 thumping of the Houston Rockets, giving them seven wins in their last nine games.
The best news is the health of star guard Jalen Brunson, who returned after a two-game absence with a bruised calf. He made his impact felt right away, dropping 30 points and seven dimes against Houston.
New York is seeking the three-game season sweep, and it’s been no contest the first two times.
In the first meeting, the Knicks crushed the Wiz 120-99, with New York shooting 49.5% from the field, including a crisp 16-for-38 from distance.
New year, same result, as the Wizards were dominated in a January 6 matchup, losing 121-105. Washington turned the ball over 20 times, which the Knicks converted into 23 points.
Washington is usually middle of the pack in scoring at 115.5 points per game, but they’re averaging just 104 in two clashes against the Knicks, who are in a tie for fifth in scoring defense at 111.3 points per game. They’ve been especially stingy of late, holding their last three opponents to 98 points or less.
With New York trying to chase down a Top-4 spot in the East and an opening round home series, I don’t see any messing around here.
My best bet: Knicks -10 (-110 at DraftKings)
Wizards vs Knicks same-game parlay
Knicks -10
Under 237.5
Wizards vs. Knicks have been low-scoring affairs, and most of the time, the Knicks are the ones grinding Washington down.
They’ve won eight of the last 10 against the Wiz, with the Over cashing just twice. The Under has hit in four of the last five, with the lone Over a New York 118-109 win in April 2023, crossing a lowly 221.5 line.
One of the other reasons this game score should stay low is Washington’s inability to generate additional shot attempts. The Wizards are 30th in rebounding, the only team to grab fewer than 40 rebounds per game at 39.7, and they’re third-worst in offensive rebounding, picking up just 8.7 per contest.
Compare that to the Knicks, who rank fifth in the league in rebounding and fifth on the offensive glass. Their ability to keep possessions alive also curbs one thing Washington does well: run the break. The Wizards are tied for the second-most fast-break points per game at 17.3.
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Wizards vs Knicks spread and Over/Under analysis
This line opened Wednesday night following the Knicks’ win over the Rockets and was as low as eight points. That seems like a distant memory now: books are moving that to double digits, with the spread as long as 12.
The Knicks are 21-17-2 against the spread, including a 10-6-1 ATS mark at home. Washington has probably bitten a couple of bettors with some unexpected covers, as their 18-19-2 ATS record indicates. They’re also 12-9-2 ATS as the road team.
As for the total, that figure has stayed in the 237-point range. The Wizards have hit the Over in 21 of 39 starts this year while the Knicks’ Over record is just 19-21-0.
Wizards vs Knicks betting trend to know
New York has won four straight meetings against Washington, holding them to 105.5 points per game. Find more NBA betting trends for Wizards vs. Knicks.
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Wizards vs Knicks game info
| Location: | Madison Square Garden, New York, NY |
| Date: | Thursday, January 18, 2024 |
| Tip-off: | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | MNMT2, MSG |
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