The New York Knicks (19-21) welcome the San Antonio Spurs (15-24) to Manhattan for a cross-conference matchup on Monday. Madison Square Garden hosts the festivities, with the Spurs playing on the second night of a back-to-back set after a loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. Evan Fournier (thigh), Nerlens Noel (reconditioning) and Kemba Walker (knee) are listed as questionable for the Knicks, with Derrick Rose (ankle) ruled out. The Spurs will be down Keldon Johnson, Doug McDermott, Devin Vassell, Thaddeus Young and Derrick White due to health and safety protocols.
Caesars Sportsbook lists New York as a 6.5-point home favorite, and tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the Over-Under, is 212.5 in the latest odds. Before you make any NBA predictions with the Spurs vs. Knicks match-up, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model entered Week 13 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 52-28 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning almost $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Spurs, and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Spurs vs. Knicks:
- Knicks vs. Spurs spread: Knicks -6.5
- Knicks vs. Spurs over-under: 212.5 points
- Knicks vs. Spurs money line: Knicks -250, Spurs +205
- SAS: The Spurs are 4-3 against the spread with no rest
- NYK: The Knicks are 8-12 against the spread in home games
Featured Game | New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs
Why the Spurs can cover
The Spurs should benefit greatly from New York’s weaknesses in this matchup. The Knicks currently rank in the bottom five of the NBA in field goal percentage, making only 43.4 percent of shot attempts. New York is also near the basement in two-point accuracy at 49.2 percent, and the Knicks are averaging only 104.0 points per game, a bottom-five figure in the league. New York is second-worst in the NBA in assists, averaging only 20.9 per game, and the Spurs do a good job in key defensive areas.
San Antonio ranks in the top 10 of the NBA in free throw attempts allowed (19.5 per game), steals (8.0 per game), blocked shots (5.1 per game) and fast break points allowed (10.8 per game). The Spurs are also fantastic as a passing team, leading the NBA with 28.2 assists per game, and New York is No. 27 in the league in forcing turnovers (12.9 per game). San Antonio ranks near the top of the NBA in offensive rebounds (11.5 per game), fast break points (13.6 per game) and points in the paint (54.6 per game), all of which should put ample pressure on the Knicks.
Why the Knicks can cover
The Knicks make life difficult for opposing shooters. New York is in the top five in field-goal percentage allowed (43.9 percent) and 2-point percentage allowed (50.5 percent) this season, with opponents attempting only 20.2 free throws per game. The Knicks are also in the top 10 in blocked shots (5.0 per game) and fast-break points allowed (11.4 per game), with elite marks in preventing second-chance points (12.0 per game) and points in the paint (41.9 per game).
San Antonio is in the bottom five in 3-pointers, free-throw attempts and free-throw percentage, helping New York to bolster its defensive projection. Offensively, the Knicks are fantastic on the glass, securing 28.2 percent of rebounds and producing 14.5 second-chance points per game. New York is also in the top 10 in turnovers (13.4 per game), 3-pointers (13.2 per game) and 3-point accuracy (35.7 percent).
How to make Spurs vs. Knicks picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, projecting 207 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Knicks vs. Spurs? And which side of the spread hits in well over 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.