The Oklahoma City Thunder aim to snap a five-game losing streak on Monday evening. The Thunder take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, with the Knicks having lost five of the last six games. Oklahoma City is 17-39 this season, and New York has a 25-32 overall record. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (ankle), Mike Muscala (ankle), and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (foot) are out for the Thunder. Derrick Rose (ankle) and R.J. Barrett (ankle) are out for the Knicks, with Mitchell Robinson (ankle), Nerlens Noel (foot) and Cam Reddish (ankle) listed as questionable.
Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET in New York. Caesars Sportsbook lists New York as the 8.5-point home favorite, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 205.5 in the latest Thunder vs. Knicks odds. Before making any Thunder vs. Knicks picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven 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 enters Week 17 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 65-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning almost $2,400. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Thunder, and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Thunder vs. Knicks:
- Knicks vs. Thunder spread: Knicks -8.5
- Knicks vs. Thunder over-under: 205.5 points
- OKC: The Thunder are 19-10 against the spread in road games
- NYK: The Knicks are 13-15 against the spread in home games
Featured Game | New York Knicks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Why the Knicks can cover
New York’s defense has the better matchup against Oklahoma City, but the Knicks do have offensive strengths. The Knicks are fantastic on the offensive glass, averaging 14.6 second-chance points per game and grabbing more than 29 percent of available rebounds. The Knicks are also in the top 10 of the NBA in free-throw creation and 3-pointers per game, with above-average ball security. On the other end, the Knicks should capitalize on Oklahoma City’s subpar offense.
The Thunder are last in the NBA in myriad offensive categories, including offensive rating, field-goal percentage, 3-point percentage and assists per game. The Knicks are No. 3 in the league in points allowed in the paint (42.4 per game), with above-average marks in field-goal percentage defense (44.4 percent), defensive rebound rate (73.1 percent) and second-chance points allowed (12.6 per game).
Why the Thunder can cover
The Thunder are above-average in taking care of the ball, committing only 13.6 turnovers per game. New York is also No. 27 in the NBA in turnover creation on defense, and Oklahoma City’s defense can take it from there. The Thunder are in the top 10 of the NBA in defensive rating, allowing only 108.5 points per 100 possessions. OKC allows opponents to shoot only 44.7 percent from the field, with above-average marks in 2-point defense and 3-point defense.
The Thunder are No. 3 in the NBA in free-throw attempts allowed (19.1 per game) and No. 2 in the NBA in fast-break points allowed (9.8 per game). Oklahoma City is also above-average in points allowed in the paint (45.8 per game), and New York’s offense is shaky. The Knicks are No. 24 in offensive efficiency and No. 25 in free-throw accuracy, with bottom-five rankings in the NBA in field-goal percentage, 2-point percentage and assists per game.
How to make Thunder vs. Knicks picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, projecting 201 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits almost 70 percent of the time. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Thunder vs. Knicks? And which side of the spread hits almost 70 percent of the time? 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.
