Knicks vs. Raptors Betting Preview: Point Spread Prediction

New York Knicks (14-9 SU, 12-11 ATS) vs. Toronto Raptors (7-17 SU, 16-8 ATS)

When: Monday, December 9th, 7:30 PM (ET)

Where: Scotiabank Arena, ON, Toronto

TV: NBA

Point Spread: NY -6.5/Tor +6.5

Total: 231

Money Line: New York Knicks -247/+204

Notable Injuries

Knicks

• Karl-Anthony Towns (Questionable) Knee
• Cameron Payne (Questionable) Elbow
• Mitchell Robinson (Out) Ankle

Raptors

• Bruce Brown (Out) Conditioning
• Immanuel Quickley (Out) Elbow

The New York Knicks (-247) are favored by 6.5 points over the Toronto Raptors (+204) in a divisional matchup. The over/under line is set at 231 points.

This game will be played at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. The Raptors (7-17) have lost two straight and are 14th in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks (14-9) are 4th in the East and 2nd in the Atlantic Division.

Recent Form

The Knicks fell to 14-9 on the season after a 120-111 home loss to the Pistons on Saturday. New York, favored by 8.5 points, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread. The total points of 231 exceeded the pre-game O/U line of 225.

Detroit took control early with a 10-0 run, turning a 5-2 deficit into a 12-5 lead. The Knicks battled back, outscoring the Pistons 62-50 over the 2nd and 3rd quarters, but Detroit pulled away in the 4th, winning the quarter 31-26.

The Raptors fell to 7-17 on the season after a 125-118 home loss to the Mavericks on Saturday. Toronto entered the game as +8 point underdogs and covered the spread, while the combined score of 243 points exceeded the O/U line of 235.5.

Toronto trailed 70-54 at halftime and 100-87 going into the 4th quarter. They made a push with a 13-0 run, cutting the deficit from 100-79 to 100-92, but ultimately couldn’t complete the comeback.

The Historicals

In terms of betting, New York has an ATS record of 4-1 in the previous five matchups vs Toronto. This mark has come on an average scoring margin of +16 points per game in favor of the Knicks. New York and Toronto averaged a combined 240 points per game in these games, leading to an over-under mark of 4-1.

Analysis

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 31 points and ten assists in their 120-111 loss to the Pistons, shooting 52.4% from the field and hitting three threes at 42.9%. Mikal Bridges added 20 points, also connecting on three threes, though he shot just 33.3% from deep.

As a team, the Knicks made 11 threes, shooting 32.4% from beyond the arc, but they finished with an overall field goal percentage of 53.2%. Brunson scored 11 points in the 2nd quarter, while Josh Hart added 9 of his 17 points in the same period.

The Knicks struggled defensively against the Pistons, giving up 120 points on 51% shooting. Their toughest stretch came in the 1st quarter, where they allowed 39 points, and they also gave up 31 in the 4th. The 3rd quarter was their best, holding Detroit to 20 points.

New York had a hard time defending the three, as the Pistons hit 18 threes at a 50% clip. The Knicks sent Detroit to the line 19 times, with the Pistons making 16 free throws. Defensively, the Knicks recorded 11 steals and five blocks.

Gradey Dick led the Raptors with 27 points and five threes in their 125-118 loss to the Mavericks, shooting 35.7% from deep. As a team, Toronto hit 15 threes at a 38.5% clip, finishing with an overall field goal percentage of 46.2%.

Jakob Poeltl contributed 20 points and seven assists, shooting 63.6% from the field, while Scottie Barnes added 19 points, 14 assists, and three threes. RJ Barrett scored 10 of his 18 points in the 2nd quarter.

The Raptors struggled defensively against the Mavericks, giving up 35 points in both the 1st and 2nd quarters and ultimately allowing 125 points in the game. They managed to tighten up in the 4th quarter, holding Dallas to 25 points, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win.

Toronto allowed the Mavericks to hit 17 three-pointers on 37% shooting from deep. They also sent Dallas to the free-throw line 37 times, where the Mavericks converted 32 attempts. The Raptors recorded 13 steals and three blocks in the game.

Betting Trends

• Across their ten previous road games, New York has an ATS mark of 4-6. Their straight-up record in these matchups was 5-5 while averaging 117 points per game.
• In their last three home games, Toronto has averaged 110 points per game while allowing 105. The team’s record in this stretch was 1-2 while going 2-1.
• Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Raptors have gone 3-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 2-3.
• The last ten games that New York was favored, they have an ATS mark of 6-4 while going 7-3 straight up.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

This Knicks vs Raptors matchup is the only game on tonight’s NBA slate. Toronto may be just 7-17 this year, but they have been great vs the spread and come in as +6.5 point underdogs. However, the Knicks come into this one on a roll and have been beating teams with plenty of room to spare. I’m taking New York to win this one and cover vs Toronto tonight.