Feb 11, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives to the basket against Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) and guard Collin Sexton (2) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
3 Bold Predictions for Knicks vs Wizards (Bet on these red-hot shooters)
The New York Knicks were on fire heading into the NBA All-Star Break and look to continue that scorching stretch tonight at the Washington Wizards.
These two teams have already matched up twice, giving us good reason to believe we can find some value in this third meeting.
I’ve picked out three bold predictions that I think have a good shot of hitting tonight. But before we break those down, you’ll want to check out this limited-time offer from DraftKings Sportsbook to use before you bet tonight.
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Three Bold Predictions for Knicks at Wizards
The first two matchups between these teams were a mixed bag. The Knicks won the first game, 112-108, at Washington on Jan. 13, but followed that up with a 116-105 loss at Madison Square Garden just five days later.
It’s worth noting that one major difference between these two games is that Wizards star Bradley Beal did not play in the first meeting, but did play in the second. He’s expected to suit up tonight, and that could be why New York is a slight underdog at +120 odds.
Knicks win by 1-10 (+210)
If you think the Knicks will win like I do, one way to juice up the odds on your bet is to take the Knicks to win by 1-10 points.
New York won the first meeting by four points and lost the second meeting by 11 points. If New York does win, I don’t think they’ll run away with it, especially on the road.
At the same time, though, the Knicks are one of the better road teams in the NBA with a 17-12 record away from MSG. The Wizards, meanwhile, haven’t performed significantly better at home with a 14-12 record at home and a 14-18 record on the road.
The Knicks are 12-9 against the spread as road underdogs this season. With a +2.5 line, beating the spread could easily result in a close win tonight for New York.
Kuzma to score 25+ (+200)
Once an afterthought on a LeBron James-led Lakers team, Kyle Kuzma has quietly become one of the Wizards’ best players.
He’s averaged 21.4 points per game this season as a high-volume shooter. Since the New Year began, Kuzma has attempted at least 20 field goals in 10 of 17 games while Washington trading Rui Hachimura to the Lakers in late January has only opened up more shooting opportunities.
Kuzma is also likely to decline his $13 million player option for next season, meaning he has extra motivation to fill up the stat sheet.
If you need some hard evidence, just look at the two times these teams played each other this season. Kuzma attempted at least 24 shots in each game, scoring 40 points in the first and 27 in the second.
I don’t think the Knicks have found the formula to stop Kuz in a matter of a few weeks.
Brunson to score 35+ (+430)
Was there a bigger All-Star snub than Jalen Brunson? The first-year Knick certainly seems to be playing with a chip on his shoulder as of late.
Brunson entered the All-Star Break with 10 straight games of over 20 points scored, including three games with over 35 points. In the two previous meetings against the Wizards, Brunson COOKED the Washington backcourt, scoring 34 points in the first game and 32 points in the second.
Getting to 35 won’t be easy, but it’s certainly within reach for Brunson, and I think it’s worth the gamble at +430 odds.
Remember, you can use your $150 worth of bonus bets to win on this game, too, as long as you sign up with DraftKings and follow our instructions.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
