The New York Knicks (25-31) visit Moda Center Saturday to take on the Portland Trail Blazers (22-34). Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Knicks vs. Blazers odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
New York will play its fifth straight game away from Madison Square Garden as it comes into this matchup following an impressive road victory over the Golden State Warriors.
The Knicks are 1-3 against the spread (ATS) in the first four games of their road trip. They’re 4-6 ATS over their last 10 and 26-30 ATS on the season. The Knicks rank 27th in points per game (104.8) and eighth in opponents’ points per game (106.0).
Portland will be shorthanded after it sold G Norman Powell, F Robert Covington and G CJ McCollum. The Blazers have been far better on their home court (15-16 at home compared to 7-8 on the road) and took down the Los Angeles Lakers 107-105 at Moda Center Wednesday.
Portland is 3-7 ATS over its last 10 and 22-33-1 ATS on the season. The Blazers rank in the bottom third of the league in both points per game (112.2, 25th) and opponents’ points per game (107.6, 21st).
Knicks at Trail Blazers odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Knicks -210 (bet $210 to win $100) | Trail Blazers +170 (bet $100 to win $170)
- Against the spread (ATS): Knicks -4.5 (-122) | Trail Blazers +4.5 (-102)
- Over/Under (O/U): 216.5 (O: -115 | U: -107)
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Knicks at Trail Blazers key injuries
Knicks
- F RJ Barrett (ankle) out
- C Nerlens Noel (foot) questionable
- G Derrick Rose (ankle) out
Trail Blazers
- G Eric Bledsoe (Achilles) out
- G Joe Ingles (knee) out
- G Damian Lillard (core) out
- F Nassir Little (shoulder) out
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Knicks at Trail Blazers odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Knicks 109, Trail Blazers 103
Money line
PASS.
The only playable side is the Blazers (+170), but I’ll pass here and look to the spread for value considering their plethora of injuries. The sub-.500 Knicks are far too expensive with a -210 tag.
Against the spread
“LEAN” to the KNICKS -4.5 (-122).
The Blazers have been much better at home this season, but they still haven’t covered often. Portland is the seventh-worst covering team as a home underdog at just 5-8 ATS in that situation.
New York is the opposite story as it’s among the better teams at covering as a road favorite with a 6-3 ATS record.
The real edge for New York will be defensive as the Knicks rank 15th in defensive rating while the Blazers are 28th. The Knicks should be able to score at will, and that should give Portland some problems.
I back the Knicks to cover considering the trends and differences defensively.
Over/Under
BET the UNDER 216.5 (-107).
This is the best bet in this game. The Blazers recently lost three key starters and could still be working out some chemistry issues. They’re also just 26-29-1 O/U this season.
Portland is 5-8 O/U as a home underdog and has gone Under the projected total in five of their last six games. The Trail Blazers also counter what the Knicks typically kill teams with: rebounding.
The Knicks rank sixth in offensive rebounding rate but the Blazers are third in defensive rebounding rate. With New York also just 26-30 O/U, the Under is the strongest play in this battle.
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