- The New York Knicks visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night
- The Lakers have won six straight and are 7-2 with Luka Doncic in the lineup
- Below, see my favorite Knicks vs Lakers picks, player props, and predictions, plus the odds for Thursday’s game in LA
The Los Angeles Lakers (39-21, 24-7 home, 34-25-1 ATS) host the New York Knicks (40-21, 19-10 away, 28-32-1 ATS) on Thursday night at crypto.com Arena at 7:10 pm PT/10:10 pm ET. The Lakers come in on an tear, winning six straight, including four against teams that are currently over .500. A very strong home team all season, even before the Luka Doncic trade, Los Angeles has been set as slight home chalk in Thursday’s Knicks vs Lakers odds. Keep reading for the odds and my best bet for tonight’s matchup.
Knicks vs Lakers Odds
Los Angeles is laying 3.5 points and is a -160 bet on the moneyline, which equates to a 61.54% implied win probability. The Knicks come back as +135 road underdogs, giving them a 42.55% implied win probability. The game total is sitting at 230.5 with the over slightly favored at -115. Odds as of 4:40 pm ET at BetMGM. Lock in SBD’s BetMGM bonus code before tonight’s Knicks vs Lakers game.
Los Angeles’ three leading scorers, Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, are all on the injury report with various issues, but all three are listed as probable to play on Thursday. The biggest injury concern on the New York side is OG Anunoby, who is questionable.
The Knicks dropped their last game to Jimmy Butler and the Warriors (114-102) before embarking on their current five-game road trip, which starts tonight in LA. Prior to the loss to Golden State, the Knicks had won three in a row and six of eight. At 19-10 on the road, only four teams in the Association have won more road games than New York.
Last time out, the Lakers routed the lowly Pelicans (136-115) on the strength of 34 points, eight rebounds, and six assists from LeBron, plus 30 points, eight boards, and a ludicrous 15 assists from Doncic.
The Lakers won the first meeting of the season between these teams, cruising to a 128-112 win in the Big Apple back in early February.
NYK vs LAL Player Props
NBA player props from DraftKings on March 6. Check out SBD’s DraftKings review for the latest sign-up promos.
The Knicks/Lakers player props show some big numbers. Doncic (26.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 7.8 APG) leads the point totals at 28.5 with LeBron (24.9 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 8.5 APG) and Jalen Brunson (26.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 7.4 APG) at 26.5 and Karl-Anthony Towns at 22.5 (24.5 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 3.1 APG).
Towns has the highest rebound total at 11.5 while teammate Josh Hart is next at 9.5 (14.4 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 5.7 APG). Doncic has the highest assist total at 8.5.
Knicks vs Lakers Predictions
Now is a bad time to be running into the Lakers. LeBron looks rejuvenated with Luka as his running mate, and JJ Redick is doing a phenomenal job of piecing together his mish-mash of other puzzle pieces. The top-heavy nature of the current Lakers roster might not be sustainable over a deep playoff run. LeBron is 40 after all. But they’re at home after a day off while the Knicks are travelling across the country to start a lengthy road trip.
In addition to targeting the Lakers against the spread, I’m also going to bet the over on LeBron’s point total of 26.5. LeBron has been allowing Luka to play the role of distributor a lot more the last two games, in which Doncic has combined for 24 assists. And LeBron has shouldered more of a scoring load over the last couple weeks. He’s averaging over 19 shots per game since the start of February. He was under 18 in three of the first four months of the season.
LeBron also went off for 33 points in the February meeting between these teams which, as mentioned, ended in a comfortable 128-112 Los Angeles road victory.
NYK vs LAL Picks:
- LeBron James over 26.5 points (-115)
- Lakers -3.5 (-105)
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The New York Knicks will face off against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 6 in what is sure to be an exciting matchup. Both teams have had their ups and downs this season, but they will be looking to secure a win in this game.
When it comes to betting odds, the Lakers are currently favored to win this game. The odds may change as the game gets closer, so it’s important to keep an eye on the latest updates. As of now, the Lakers are listed as -200 favorites, while the Knicks are listed as +175 underdogs.
In terms of player props, there are a few key players to keep an eye on in this game. For the Lakers, LeBron James is always a player to watch. He has been playing at an MVP level this season and will likely be a key factor in this game. Anthony Davis is another player to watch for the Lakers, as he can be a dominant force on both ends of the court.
For the Knicks, Julius Randle has been having a breakout season and will be a player to watch in this game. RJ Barrett is another player to keep an eye on, as he has shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season.
As for predictions, it’s always tough to predict the outcome of any NBA game. Both teams have talented rosters and anything can happen on any given night. However, based on current form and recent performances, the Lakers seem to have the edge in this matchup. They have a more experienced roster and have been playing at a higher level than the Knicks as of late.
Overall, this game is sure to be a competitive one and should provide plenty of excitement for fans. Whether you’re betting on the game or just watching for fun, be sure to tune in on March 6 to see how it all unfolds.