The New York Knicks (8-9) are in the Rose City Sunday for a 10 p.m. ET game against the Portland Trail Blazers (8-6) at the Moda Center. Below, we analyze the Knicks-Trail Blazers NBA odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
The Knicks had their three-game win streak (3-0 against the spread) snapped by the Sacramento Kings in a 103-94 loss Friday. New York ranks third in defensive rating and is first in effective field-goal percentage and points per game allowed. Over their past five games, the Knicks are fifth in net rating (plus-8.0).
Portland is 3-2 in its last five games (2-3 ATS), but the Trail Blazers are 25th in net rating (minus-6.7) over that time. Their previous two scheduled games against the Memphis Grizzlies were postponed due to COVID-19 issues with the Grizzlies.
The Trail Blazers were crushed 125-104 by the San Antonio Spurs as 1.5-point road underdogs Monday. It was the first game without second-leading scorer SG C.J. McCollum.
New York won the last head-to-head meeting to snap a six-game losing skid against Portland; however, the Knicks have covered the spread in three of their past four games against the Trail Blazers.
Knicks at Trail Blazers: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:55 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Knicks +140 (bet $100 to win $140) | Trail Blazers -165 (bet $165 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Knicks +3.5 (-105) | Trail Blazers -3.5 (-115)
- Over/Under: 214.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Knicks at Trail Blazers: Key Injuries
Knicks
- SG Austin Rivers (Achilles) questionable
- SG Reggie Bullock (neck) doubtful
- PG Frank Ntilikina (knee) questionable
Trail Blazers
- C Jusuf Nurkic (wrist) out
- SG C.J. McCollum (foot) out
- C Zach Collins (ankle) out
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Knicks at Trail Blazers: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Knicks 108, Trail Blazers 102
Money line (ML)
New York and Portland have been trending in opposite directions in both performance and health with the Knicks heading in the positive direction.
Knicks second-year SG RJ Barrett has been playing great over the last five games with 21.7 points per game on 50.5% shooting with 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. New York’s third-leading scorer, SG Alec Burks, has played the last two games following a 12-game absence due to an ankle injury.
The effects of Portland’s injury report, especially McCollum’s absence, haven’t yet set in because the Trail Blazers had their last couple of games canceled. Those absences will be felt Sunday against a feisty New York team.
GIMME KNICKS (+140) for a quarter-unit.
Against the spread (ATS)
Surprisingly, the Knicks are second in clutch net rating and the Trail Blazers are fourth but most people would assume Portland, with PG Damian Lillard, would be far superior. Granted, it’s a small sample size, so I’d prefer to insure New York by taking the points.
There’s just too much value on the spread to be greedy and only bet the money line. TAKE KNICKS +3.5 (-105) for 1 unit.
Over/Under (O/U)
The UNDER 214.5 (-110) is perhaps the best play. It might be too obvious with the low projection so that’s why I might not bet it heavily, but there are just too many Under-friendly trends.
For example, eight of the last nine Knicks-Trail Blazers games have gone Under and New York is 10-2 O/U in its last 12 games as an underdog.
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Also see:
- NBA players react to Dustin Poirier’s knockout of Conor McGregor (Rookie Wire)
- Hoops Hype Rumors: Knicks | Trail Blazers
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