It’s been a disappointing season for both the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers. Both teams made the playoffs last year, but both teams could miss the postseason in two months. The Knicks and Lakers currently have losing records, and the Knicks are 12th in the East while the Lakers are 9th in the West. These aren’t must-win games just yet, but the Knicks and Lakers are both looking to get back over .500 soon.
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The Lakers have never been more than three games over .500 this season. They have played poorly over the last month too with a 4-7 record in their last 11 games. A recent East Coast road trip saw them knock off Brooklyn but lose to four of their other five opponents, and this team will be an underdog to the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night prior to this game.
New York was hoping to build off last year’s surprisingly good season, but the Knicks wouldn’t even make the play-in round at this point. They have lost seven of their last nine games, as Julius Randle is not as much of a playmaker as he was during his breakout 2020-21 campaign.
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LeBron James is having another great season at the age of 37. His minutes have been limited in order to preserve him for the stretch run, but he has shined when stepping foot on the court. James is averaging 29.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG, and 6.3 APG with the Lakers while making 52.2% of his baskets. He has missed more than a week because of a knee injury though, so his status is up in the air for this tilt.
We have seen Anthony Davis put up big numbers in his last three games without James in the lineup. He is averaging 29.3 PPG and 10.7 RPG in this stretch, and he has made at least 50% of his field goals. Davis has gotten into foul trouble though with at least four fouls in his last four games.
The player that has hurt the Lakers the most this season is Russell Westbrook. Westbrook is making just 44.2% of his field goals and 30.8% of his threes while being a total defensive liability. He hasn’t been as effective as Malik Monk, and he would be losing minutes if the Lakers had a better option at point guard.
Julius Randle is once again leading the Knicks in points (18.5 PPG), rebounds (9.9 RPG), and assists (5.1 APG). However, he hasn’t been nearly as efficient of a shooter as he was last season. Randle is making just 41.4% of his field goals and a shade over 30% of his treys. He is still reliable on defense, but his offensive decline has hurt the Knicks.
The Knicks have had a hard time producing offense. They rank 27th in scoring (104.2 PPG) and are dead last in points in the paint. Their shooting percentage ranks in the bottom five in the league, and they aren’t getting out on the break or passing the ball well either.
Evan Fournier has been one of the bright spots by hitting 40.3% of his threes, but Derrick Rose is still out, and Kemba Walker has not scored a point in back-to-back games.
New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers Free Pick
The under is the best bet in this game given the Knicks’ tenacious defense and struggles on offense. Westbrook will not play well, while Davis won’t be able to put up big numbers in the paint.
Knicks at Lakers Best Bet: Under
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