The Los Angeles Lakers (25-28, 23-30 ATS) host the New York Knicks (24-28, 25-27) on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in their second meeting of the season. Both teams come into the game on cold streaks, with just one win in their last five games. Can the Lakers back on track or will the Knicks play spoiler on the road? Find out in our Knicks vs Lakers prediction.
- Date/Time: February 5, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Stadium: Crypto.com Arena
- TV Coverage: ABC
- Sportsbook Odds: Lakers -1.5 | O/U 212.5 (Line History)
- Knicks vs Lakers Matchup Report
Knicks vs Lakers Odds & Analysis
Sportsbook Odds
The Lakers opened as a 1.5-point home favorite with the total set at 212.5 points. The OVER is 10-5 in Los Angeles’ last 15 games and 4-2 in New York’s last six contests. The Knicks have owned the Lakers in recent years with a 10-5 record over their last 15 meetings, however they come into this matchup with a 1-6 record over their last seven road games – two key factors to consider in a Knicks vs Lakers prediction.
Get the best Knicks vs Lakers odds and lines available from our recommended sportsbooks for your favorite picks of the night.
- Best Spread-110-110NY+5-5LAL
- Best Moneyline+176-205NYLAL
- Best Total- --110Over215Under
Offensively-Starved Knicks Hit Another Rut
The Knicks took another loss on Wednesday as they fell 120-108 to the Memphis Grizzlies. Jaren Jackson Jr., Ja Morant and Ziarie Williams combined for 70 points in the Grizzlies’ win, while Evan Fournier’s game-high 30-point performance wasn’t enough to carry the Knicks. RJ Barrett also had a strong night for New York with 23 points, while Julius Randle added 18 points and 12 boards for a double-double.
New York hasn’t been able to muster much offensively this season, scoring just 104.2 points per game (27th). That theme has remained a constant over this current cold streak as they’ve averaged 102.1 points over their last nine games while going 2-7 over that span.
Derrick Rose (ankle) remains out but plans to return soon after the All-Star break in mid-to-late February.
Lakers Coming Off Disappointing Loss In Battle Of LA
The Lakers fell to the Los Angeles Clippers in their last outing on Thursday, losing 111-110 in the Battle of LA. After trailing for most of the game, Anthony Davis put the Lakers up 110-109 via an alley-oop dunk with 12.5 seconds on the clock. However, Reggie Jackson responded for the Clippers, scoring the eventual game-winning shot with just 4.1 seconds remaining. Davis, who led the Lakers with 30 points and 17 rebounds, had the final shot at the buzzer but couldn’t get his runner to fall.
Los Angeles hasn’t fared much better than New York over its last nine contests, going 3-6 over that span. A big reason for the Lakers’ recent struggles is the absence of LeBron James, who has missed the last five games with a knee injury. Unfortunately for Los Angeles, their leading scorer is still out for Saturday’s matchup.
Carmelo Anthony (hamstring) also remains sidelined while Davis (wrist) is probable.
Knicks vs Lakers Pick & Insights
Knicks: Keys to Cover
New York may not have a ton of offensive firepower but it does boast the sixth-best defense in the league, surrendering just 104.9 points per game. With James out for the Lakers, the Knicks will only have to worry about Davis and Russell Westbrook, which should be manageable.
Lakers: Keys to Cover
The Lakers will need another big game from Davis, assuming he plays, and a lot more from Westbrook, whose 18.7 points per game represent his lowest mark since his sophomore season in 2009-10. Malik Monk, who scored 21 points on Thursday, could also be an x-factor for Los Angeles – though the 24-year-old shooting guard has been wildly inconsistent.
Odds Shark’s Computer Knicks vs Lakers Prediction: Knicks +2
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- Los Angeles is 13-5 in their last 18 meetings at home
- New York is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 meetings
- Los Angeles is 6-2 in their last 8 home games
