The final week of the NBA regular season continues on Tuesday with a massive 11-game slate. Among the top matchups that have certainly caught the eye of the NBA betting public is a coast-to-coast matchup between the playoff-bound New York Knicks and reigning NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. Both teams come into this nationally televised battle with identical win-loss records. The NBA odds have dubbed the home team as the favorite in the pre-game Knicks vs Lakers prediction.
Knicks vs Lakers Game Info
New York Knicks (38-30, 16-19 Away) at Los Angeles Lakers (38-30, 19-15 Home)
Date: Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Start Time: 10 p.m. EST
Venue: STAPLES Center — Los Angeles, CA
Coverage: TNT
Knicks vs Lakers NBA Betting Odds
Moneyline: NYK: (+185) | LAL: (-225)
Spread: NYK: +5.5 (-110) | LAL: -5.5 (-110)
Total: 213.5 — Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)
Knicks vs Lakers NBA Betting Overview
Knicks Outlook
What a year for Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks. Improvements were anticipated, but certainly not to the degree that we’ve seen over the course of the NBA betting season. New York enters tonight’s matchup with the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference. Not only are the Knicks in good shape to appear in the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2013, but they should be able to avoid the play-in tournament as well.
Julius Randle has absorbed the bulk of the Madison Square Garden spotlight this season. Many believe the power forward is a lock to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award on the heels of a season that has included averages of 23.9 points, 10.3 rebound and 5.9 assists. All of those marks represent career highs. Alongside Randle, RJ Barrett has taken a giant leap forward this season. Although he didn’t start the year as the team’s first option at center, Nerlens Noel has proven to be a menace on the interior, particularly on the defensive end. Mid-season trade acquisition Derrick Rose rounds out a backcourt that has also exceeded expectations.
Knicks Injury Report
- Out: Mitchell Robinson (foot)
- Doubtful: Immanuel Quickley (ankle)
- Questionable: Alec Burks (knee)
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Lakers Outlook
In a way, the defending champs have taken almost the exact opposite approach to the NBA betting regular season as their opponent in tonight’s game. The Lakers have gone prolonged stretches this season without their two biggest stars in the lineup. Anthony Davis has successfully made his return from an Achilles injury that forced him to miss the vast majority of the year. Then there’s LeBron James, who at first was reportedly set to re-return from an ankle injury tonight. Well, at the time of writing, he remains listed as ‘out’ for Tuesday’s matchup. Who even knows with this guy at this point.
At any rate, the Lakers find themselves likely headed for the Western Conference play-in tournament, a place it was seemingly impossible to envision them a few months ago. A loss to the Portland Trail Blazers last week all but ensured that Los Angeles will need to win a game just to qualify for the first round of the postseason. If the champs are going to flip a switch in the postseason, they’ll certainly need to have a cleaner injury report than the one listed for Tuesday’s Knicks vs Lakers NBA betting matchup.
Lakers Injury Report
- Out: LeBron James (ankle), Dennis Schroder
- Questionable: Anthony Davis, Marc Gasol
- Probable: Talen Horton-Tucker (calf), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (ankle), Kyle Kuzma (back)
Knicks vs Lakers NBA Betting Trends
- Knicks 2020-21 Betting Trends: 43-24-1 ATS; 31-37 to the Over
- Lakers 2020-21 Betting Trends: 31-36-1 ATS; 26-41-1 to the Over
- Knicks are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games as road underdogs.
- Under the total has gone 6-1 in the Lakers’ last seven games following an outright win of 10 points or more.
- Knicks are 4-1 ATS in the last five head-to-head meetings against the Lakers.
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Knicks vs Lakers Statistics
- New York is averaging 107.2 points per game (PPG) this season (No. 26 in the NBA)
- New York is surrendering 105.0 PPG on the season (No. 1 in the NBA)
- Los Angeles is averaging 109.3 PPG this season (No. 23 in the NBA)
- Los Angeles is surrendering 106.6 PPG (No. 2 in the NBA)
Knicks vs Lakers Prop Bet
First Quarter Total Points Under 54.5 (-115)
When looking at a full game, the Knicks and Lakers rank one-two in points allowed as seen in the NBA betting stats above. Both teams stack up near the top of the defensive rankings in the first half and first quarter as well. The biggest numerical edge on an under Knicks vs Lakers prediction appears to lie in the first 12 minutes of action. There are a few reasons to look under the NBA odds first-quarter total of 54.5.
When it comes to average first-quarter points scored per game, the Knicks and Lakers combine to score 54.8. However, the combined total of each team’s respective first-quarter points allowed average is just 53.5. Based on numerics alone, the edge is to the under here. To reinforce the play, keep in mind that the Lakers will be without LeBron James once again in tonight’s game. In the first meeting between the teams this season which also featured a banged-up L.A. squad, the sides combined for exactly 54 first-quarter points. It’s just not reasonable to expect a ton of scoring out of the gate between two teams that are far better defensively than offensively.
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