The New York Knicks have been taking their lumps for a long time. They are one of two Eastern Conference teams that hasn’t seen the playoffs in the last five years and they start this season with a new coach and general manager. But before you write off on the Knicks, this is a proud and storied franchise with fans in the Big Apple and throughout the U.S. The team, which was founded in 1946, is one of two NBA franchises located in New York City. While the Knicks call Manhattan home, their neighbors — the Brooklyn Nets — play in Brooklyn.
Don’t just eliminate the Knicks from your betting picks on any given night. Even though the Knicks have had a lousy record over the last decade, they are a team that consistently scores over .500 against the spread on the betting line.
New York Knicks Next Game
The Knicks, who are one of five teams in the NBA’s Atlantic Division, may continue their playoff drought because they’re without their best player — power forward Kristaps Porzingis, who suffered a torn ACL earlier this year. But that doesn’t mean GM Scott Perry and head coach David Fizdale have given up on the season with a solid nucleus of guard Tim Hardaway, center Enes Kanter and point guard Trey Burke picking up some of the slack.
The Knicks have also had a solid home record at Madison Square Garden the last few seasons, so even NBA powerhouses have to take this team seriously on a visit to New York.
Patrick Ewing and the Knicks were one of the elite teams in the 1980s and ’90s. Along with that success came some serious rivalries — like divisional matchups against the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics, or one of their perennial playoff opponents in the Miami Heat.
New York Knicks Regular Season Schedule
This is the 73rd season for the NBA. The regular season generally runs from October to April, with each team including the Knicks playing 82 games.
The Knicks regular season is highlighted by two holiday matinees — Christmas Day against the Milwaukee Bucks and Martin Luther King Jr. Day against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team will play a total of eight afternoon games at home this season. As part of the team’s 41-game road schedule, they travel overseas to London to take on Washington on Jan. 17 — the franchise’s third trip to the United Kingdom.
The Knicks had a dismal record (17-35) against conference opponents last season and were 6-10 against divisional foes.
New York Knicks Standings
The Knicks are one of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference. These standings help bettors pick out the Knicks’ overall position as the top eight teams in the conference make the playoffs. Other stats offered in this table include points scored, allowed and win percentage.
New York Knicks Betting Tips
The Knicks are likely in for a bumpy ride throughout the season. It's difficult to be counted on as a legitimate contender in the Atlantic against the likes of the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics without a bona fide star. Hopefully that changes when Porzingis can work his way back into the lineup.
New York is off to another slow start this season, but they managed to put together a winning streak in November — with victories over the Boston Celtics, New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies.
In the last decade, games involving the Knicks have scored under the totals betting line the majority of the time.
Here are some other important stats and trends to look for when deciding on your wagers:
- Player injuries or suspensions, especially to the elite play-makers like Porzingis.
- Team record at Madison Square Garden or on the road.
- Team record against today's opponent this season and historically.
- Team record against a division rival or non-conference opponent.
- How many games has the team played in consecutive days.
- Current streak, whether it's winning or losing, for both teams.
- Team record in last 10 games or this month.
All of these options will help a bettor make an educated decision on whether to "play" the Knicks in their next game or not.
There are three basic bets offered on all NBA games at online sites like Bovada — the money line, point spread and over/under totals.
Money line
Money line betting is simply wagering on the contest based on a given price rather than a point spread. The team wagered on has to win the game outright, regardless of the score.
Let's use this game as an example for money line betting: The New York Knicks (+130) are on the road to take on their cross-town rivals, the Brooklyn Nets (-150). The Nets are favored by 3.5 points with the over/under betting line set at 214.5 points.
So, what do the numbers mean after the team names? First of all, if there is a minus sign in front of a number (-150), that is how much a bettor must wager to win $100. If there is a plus sign in front of a number (+130), that is how much profit a bettor makes on a $100 wager.
For example, a bettor has to wager $150 on Brooklyn to earn a $100 profit and a $250 total return. A bettor has to wager $100 on New York to earn a profit of $130 and a $230 total return.
Point spread
The “spread” is the betting line or odds used to determine the parameters for wagering on either the favorite or underdog in a sporting event. In our example, the Nets must win by four or more points for a bettor to collect on Brooklyn. The Knicks must win outright or lose by three points or less for a bettor to collect on New York.
Over/under totals
A total, or over/under, bet is a wager on the total number of points scored by both teams in a game. Oddsmakers set the mark and the bettor decides if the total will be over or under the betting line.
In our example, if the Knicks and Nets score 214 points or less, the under wins the totals bet. If the two teams score 215 points or more, the over wins the totals bet.
Online sites also offer proposition bets on each game, which include predicting the score after each quarter, how many points a certain team will win by, alternative point spreads, and many more.
There's also future betting on whether the Knicks will win the Eastern Conference or the NBA Finals. Even though future odds change throughout the season and playoffs, your odds are fixed when you make your bet on the Knicks.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
