Knicks vs Lakers Prediction, Odds & Best Bets | NBA Betting (12/18): Will New York’s 3-Point Success Pay Off?
Written by: Devon Platana
Published: Mon Dec 18, 2023, 11:26 am ET
Read Time: 6 minutes
nba
Today's Knicks vs Lakers prediction is brought to you by BetDSI. BetDSI is a market leader in sportsbooks, offering a variety of options from the NBA to the NFL and everything in between.
The New York Knicks (14-11) and Los Angeles Lakers (15-11) headline an 11-game NBA slate on Monday as the two iconic franchises go one-on-one at crypto.com Arena at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Both sides have struggled with consistency lately. The Knicks have bounced back and forth between wins and losses over the last two weeks, most recently falling 144-122 to the LA Clippers on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Lakers hope to rebound after a 129-115 loss helped the San Antonio Spurs end an 18-game losing streak over the weekend.
Will New York avoid another loss on its road trip? Or will Los Angeles make a statement at home tonight?
Let's talk about it as we dive into my Knicks vs Lakers prediction and best bets.
Knicks vs Lakers NBA Game Tonight (Dec. 18)
Knicks vs Lakers Matchup Information
- Matchup: New York Knicks (14-11, 7-8 Away) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (15-11, 10-2 Home)
- Venue & Location: crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles, CA)
- Date: Monday, Dec. 18, 2023
- Game Time: 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time
- Knicks vs. Lakers TV Channel Info: NBA League Pass, Spectrum SportsNet, MSG Network
Knicks vs Lakers Odds & Spread
Knicks vs Lakers odds are courtesy of BetDSI as of Monday, Dec. 18 at 10:41 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.
Knicks vs Lakers Spread
- New York Knicks +4 (-110)
- Los Angeles Lakers -4 (-110)
Knicks vs Lakers Over/Under
- Over 234.5 Points (-110)
- Under 234.5 Points (-110)
Knicks vs Lakers Moneyline
- New York Knicks (+155)
- Los Angeles Lakers (-175)
NBA Best Bets and Picks Tonight
Looking to get in on even more basketball action? Be sure to check out our NBA Picks page for consensus picks for every game on any day of the year.
You can also check out:
Knicks vs Lakers Betting Trends
- New York is 6-14 straight up in its last 20 road games vs. the Lakers.
- The Lakers are 5-2 straight up in their last seven games.
- New York is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games.
- The Lakers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games vs. the Eastern Conference.
- The total hit the Over in each of New York's last eight games.
- The total hit the Over in 13 of the Lakers' last 20 games played in December.
Knicks vs Lakers Prediction & Pick (Dec. 18)
If the Lakers want to bounce back from the embarrassing loss to the Spurs, having a healthy lineup tonight is crucial. The only issue is there's a chance that the home team could be without key players when the Knicks come to town.
Gabe Vincent (knee) and Jalen Hood-Schifino (back) have both been ruled out of tonight's contest. Meanwhile, LeBron James (calf), Anthony Davis (hip/groin), and Christian Wood (illness) are questionable while Jarred Vanderbilt (back) and D'Angelo Russell (head) are probable.
Even if the latter five players wind up playing, there's a good chance that they won't be 100%. For reference, Mitchell Robinson (ankle) — who's sidelined for up to 10 weeks — is the only Knicks player who's dealing with an injury tag ahead of Monday's clash.
If the Lakers are without LeBron and/or Davis, it could be difficult to keep pace with the Knicks' high-flying offense. New York may have only won two of its last four games, but it is still averaging 125.8 PPG during that span.
Although Los Angeles is averaging a respectable 123.6 PPG clip over the last five games, its three-point shooting isn't on the same level as the visitors. While the Knicks average 13.4 threes (9th) on 38.1% shooting (5th), the Lakers only average 10.2 (29th) and 34.7% (24th), respectively.
What puts Darvin Ham's team in an even worse spot is the fact that they can't defend the three-ball. Not only are opponents averaging the fifth-most threes against the Lakers this season, but Los Angeles has allowed its last three foes to shoot a whopping 45.1% from the three-point line over the last three games.
In other words, it's going to be hard for the Lakers to cover the 4-point spread if the Knicks start hitting their threes early.
The Lakers are 10-2 SU at crypto.com Arena and I can see them winning tonight, especially against a Knicks team that isn't playing with consistency or confidence. At the same time, I could see New York making this game closer than oddsmakers imply.
The Knicks are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games against the Lakers and have a great opportunity to continue that trend if their three-point shooting stays hot. Los Angeles is also 0-3 ATS in its last three outings and was just upset by San Antonio despite being the 4-point favorite ahead of that contest.
Throw the Lakers' injuries into the mix and it's even tougher to trust the spread favorites tonight.
Knicks vs Lakers Prediction: LAL wins
Best Knicks vs Lakers Bet: NYK +4 (-110)
Get 100% up to $1,000 on this pick over on BetDSI
Best Knicks vs Lakers NBA Player Prop (Dec. 18)
We're hopping over to Bovada for my favorite Knicks vs. Lakers prop bet — Jalen Brunson 02.5 threes made.
Brunson has been absolute money from the three-point line over the last month. In the last 18 games, the Knicks sharpshooter is averaging 3.4 threes on 48.0% shooting. He finished with the Over on this prop in 11 of those games and it was just three nights ago that he went 9-of-9 from the perimeter against the Phoenix Suns.
With the Lakers constantly displaying the inability to defend three-pointers, I expect a productive night from Brunson.
Best Knicks vs Lakers Prop Bet: Jalen Brunson o2.5 Threes Made (-105)
Get 50% up to $750 on this pick over on Bovada
2023-24 NBA Futures Betting Articles
Devon is a Master of Journalism graduate who joined the sports betting world in 2020. His favorite leagues to cover are the NHL, NBA and NFL, and has a soft spot for fantasy football specifically. Outside of sports, he enjoys the finer things in life like pasta, live music and getting even more tattoos.
This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Betting News makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.
