The New York Knicks (24-10) travel to face off against the Oklahoma City Thunder (28-5) on Friday, January 3rd. This game will be played at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City and televised on NBA. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 8:00 ET.

Knicks vs Thunder

The Knicks Are Coming Off A Win

The Knicks improved to 24-10 on the season with a 119-103 win over the Jazz on Wednesday. Playing at home, New York was favored by 12 points and covered the spread. The combined score of 222 points fell short of the 228-point over/under line.

After trailing 25-24 at the end of the 1st quarter, the Knicks took control by outscoring the Jazz 32-21 in the 2nd quarter. Utah edged New York 33-31 in the 3rd, but the Knicks pulled away in the 4th, winning the quarter 32-24.

The Thunder Are Coming Off A Win

The Thunder improved to 28-5 on the season with a 116-98 win over the Clippers on Thursday. Playing at home, Oklahoma City entered the game as 12-point favorites and covered the spread with the 18-point victory. The total points for the game were 214, just under the 214.5-point line.

After falling behind 30-22 in the 1st quarter, the Thunder turned things around by outscoring the Clippers 26-22 in the 2nd quarter. They took control in the 3rd quarter, dominating 42-20, and went into the 4th quarter leading 90-72. The teams played evenly in the final period, each scoring 26 points.

Knicks Offense Breakdown

The Knicks shot 55.3% from the field in their 119-103 win over the Jazz, despite making just 9 threes at a 39.1% clip. Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with 31 points and 21 rebounds, hitting 3 threes at 50% efficiency.

Mikal Bridges added 27 points, shooting 70.6% from the field, while OG Anunoby contributed 22 points on 62.5% shooting. Towns scored 11 points in the 4th quarter, and Josh Hart added 9 of his 15 points in the final period.

Thunder Offense Breakdown

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to a 116-98 win over the Clippers, scoring 29 points and dishing out 8 assists, shooting 52.9% from the field. Jalen Williams added 18 points on 57.1% shooting, while Ajay Mitchell contributed 11 points.

The Thunder shot 50% from the field and hit 14 threes at a 36.8% rate. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 points in the 3rd quarter, while Williams added 10 in the period. Mitchell scored 7 of his 11 points in the 4th quarter.

Knicks Team Defense

The Knicks put together a strong defensive performance on Wednesday, holding the Jazz to 103 points. They were particularly effective in the 2nd and 4th quarters, allowing just 21 and 24 points, respectively. Overall, New York limited Utah to 40% shooting from the field.

From beyond the arc, the Knicks held the Jazz to 30% shooting, with Utah making 13 threes. New York also sent the Jazz to the line 15 times, where they made 12 free throws. Defensively, the Knicks recorded 10 steals and 6 blocks.

Thunder Team Defense

The Knicks put together a strong defensive performance on Wednesday, holding the Jazz to 103 points in their victory. New York gave up 25 points in the 1st quarter but tightened up in the 2nd, allowing just 21. They had a rough 3rd quarter, giving up 33 points, but bounced back in the 4th, limiting Utah to 24 points.

Overall, the Knicks held the Jazz to 40% shooting, including 30% from beyond the arc, where Utah made 13 threes. The Jazz also went 12/15 from the free-throw line. New York finished with 41 defensive rebounds, gave up 14 offensive boards, and recorded 10 steals and 6 blocks.

Knicks vs Thunder Trends

• When looking at their past ten road matchups, New York has an ATS record of 6-4 while averaging 117 per game. The team went 9-1 overall in these games.
• The Thunder are 2-1 ATS in their last three home games and 3-0 straight-up.
• As the betting underdog, the Knicks have an ATS mark of just 2-3 in their last five games. New York posted a straight up mark of 2-3 in these matchups.
• In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Thunder have a strong straight up record of 3-0. In addition, their ATS record was 3-0 in these scenarios.

Knicks vs Thunder Prediction

Entering the game as underdogs with a spread of +4.5, the Knicks is our point spread pick. Our projections not only see them covering the spread but also indicate a solid chance of an outright victory. This is a good choice for those looking for a higher moneyline payout.

As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 221.5 and our model has the Knicks and Thunder finishing with a combined 257 points. Our pick is to take the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.