The New York Knicks welcome the Houston Rockets to Madison Square Garden on Monday evening. The Knicks are 20-17 at home this season with a 42-33 overall record. Houston is near the bottom of the NBA standings, and the Rockets are facing an Eastern Conference playoff team for the second straight night. Houston has a relatively clean injury report, while the Knicks list Jalen Brunson (hand) as questionable for the game.
Caesars Sportsbook lists New York as a 14-point 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 230 in the latest Rockets vs. Knicks odds. Before making any Knicks vs. Rockets picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four-plus seasons. The model enters Week 24 of the 2022-23 NBA season a stunning 70-36 on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,900. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Rockets and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the NBA lines and trends for Rockets vs. Knicks:
- Knicks vs. Rockets spread: Knicks -14
- Knicks vs. Rockets over/under: 230 points
- Knicks vs. Rockets money line: Knicks -900, Rockets +600
- HOU: The Rockets are 3-9 against the spread with no rest
- NYK: The Knicks are 16-18-3 against the spread in home games
- Knicks vs. Rockets picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Rockets can cover
Houston uses its athleticism and force effectively on the offensive end of the floor. The Rockets lead the NBA in offensive rebound rate, securing 34% of missed shots this season. That also leads to a league-leading mark in second-chance points per game, and Houston puts pressure on the rim. That includes top-eight marks in points in the paint and free throw attempts per game. New York struggles to create defensive havoc, forcing only 12.6 turnovers per game, and no team has fewer steals (6.2 per game) this season.
On the other end, Houston is in the top 10 of the NBA in defensive rebound rate and second-chance points allowed this season. The Rockets are also above-average in creating blocks and steals, and New York's offense does have its warts. The Knicks are below-average in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free throw percentage this season, and New York generates the second-fewest assists (22.5 per game) in the NBA.
Why the Knicks can cover
The Knicks are operating at a high level on both ends of the floor. On defense, New York leads the league in points allowed in the paint (45.8 per game) and ranks in the top six of the league in field goal percentage allowed (45.9%) and fast break points allowed (12.6 per game). Houston commits the most turnovers in the NBA in offense and has the worst assist-to-turnover ratio in the league this season.
On the other end, the Knicks are in the top five in offensive efficiency, scoring more than 1.16 points per possession. New York is in the top three of the league in offensive rebound rate (31.8%) and second-chance points (16.4 per game), with top-five marks in free throw creation (25.7 attempts per game) and turnover avoidance (13.0 per game). Houston is allowing more than 1.18 points per possession on defense, and the Rockets are near the bottom of the NBA in myriad defensive categories, including 3-point percentage allowed.
How to make Rockets vs. Knicks picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, with 10 players projected to score at least 11 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60% of simulations. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Knicks vs. Rockets? And which side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
