Knicks vs. Thunder Prediction, Picks & Betting Preview (1/3/25)

New York Knicks (24-10 SU, 19-15 ATS) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (28-5 SU, 21-11 ATS)

When: Friday, January 3rd, 8:00 PM (ET)

Where: Paycom Center, OK, Oklahoma City

TV: NBA

Point Spread: NY +4.5/OKC -4.5

Total: 221.5

Money Line: New York Knicks +157/-190

Notable Injuries

Knicks

• Mitchell Robinson (Out) Ankle
• Jalen Brunson (Questionable) Calf
• Miles McBride (Questionable) Hamstring

Thunder

• Alex Caruso (Questionable) Hip
• Chet Holmgren (Out) Hip
• Nikola Topic (Out) Knee

At 8:00 ET, the Thunder (-190) will host the Knicks (+157) in a non-conference matchup. The Thunder (-4.5) are favored by 4.5 points over the Knicks, and the over/under line is set at 221.5.

Oklahoma City (28-5) has won 13 straight games and is currently the top team in the Western Conference, while New York (24-10) has won nine straight and is third in the East.

Recent Form

The Knicks improved to 24-10 on the season with a 119-103 win over the Jazz on Wednesday. Playing at home, New York entered the game as -12 point favorites and covered the spread. The total points for the game ended at 222, falling short of the 228-point line.

After trailing 25-24 at the end of the 1st quarter, the Knicks took control by outscoring Utah 32-21 in the 2nd. The Jazz kept things close in the 3rd, winning the quarter 33-31, but New York pulled away in the 4th, outscoring Utah 32-24 to seal the win.

With a 116-98 win over the Clippers on Thursday, the Thunder improved to 28-5 for the season. Playing at home, Oklahoma City entered the game as 12-point favorites and managed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were set at 214.5, and the teams combined for 214 points, just missing the over/under line.

After trailing 30-22 at the end of the 1st quarter, the Thunder turned things around by outscoring the Clippers 26-22 in the 2nd quarter. They took control in the 3rd quarter, outscoring Los Angeles 42-20, and entered the 4th quarter with a 90-72 lead. The teams were even at 26 points each in the final period.

The Historicals

The ATS record across the previous five head-to-head meetings is 3-2 in favor of the Thunder. In these matchups, Oklahoma City has averaged 126 points per game while allowing 123. The over-under record in these same games is 5-0, with the teams combining for an average of 249 points per game.

Analysis

The Knicks shot 55.3% from the field in their win over the Jazz, with Karl-Anthony Towns leading the way with 31 points and 21 rebounds, hitting three threes at 50%. Mikal Bridges added 27 points, shooting 70.6% from the field.

OG Anunoby contributed 22 points, scoring 12 in the 3rd quarter. The Knicks made just nine threes, shooting 39.1% from beyond the arc.

The Knicks put together a strong defensive performance against the Jazz, holding them to 103 points on 40% shooting from the field. New York limited Utah to 25 points in the 1st quarter and just 21 in the 2nd, giving up 33 in the 3rd before tightening up again in the 4th, where they allowed 24 points.

From beyond the arc, the Knicks held the Jazz to 13 made threes on 30% shooting. Utah also went to the line 15 times, making 12 free throws. New York finished with 41 defensive rebounds, giving up 14 offensive boards while also recording 10 steals and six blocks.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to a 116-98 win over the Clippers, scoring 29 points and dishing out eight assists, shooting 52.9% from the field. Jalen Williams added 18 points, hitting 57.1% of his shots, while Ajay Mitchell contributed 11 points.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 points in the 3rd quarter, and Williams added 10 in the same period. Mitchell scored 7 of his 11 points in the 4th quarter. The Thunder shot 50% from the field, making 14 threes at a 36.8% rate.

Despite a shaky 1st quarter, the Thunder tightened up defensively, allowing just 98 points in their win over the Clippers. Oklahoma City gave up 30 points in the 1st but bounced back, holding Los Angeles to 22 points in the 2nd and 20 in the 3rd.

The Thunder limited the Clippers to 11 made threes on 34% shooting from deep. Oklahoma City also sent Los Angeles to the line 17 times, where they hit 11 free throws. The Thunder finished with 11 steals and three blocks.

Betting Trends

• Through their last ten road contests, the Knicks offense has averaged 117 points per game while allowing an average of 106. New York posted an overall record of 9-1 while going 6-4 ATS.
• Across their ten previous home games, Oklahoma City has an ATS mark of 6-4. Their straight-up record in these matchups was 9-1 while averaging 113 points per game.
• Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Knicks have gone 6-4 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 5-5.
• Spanning across their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Thunder have gone 7-2-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 10-0.

Joe’s Pick To Cover The Spread

Tonight’s Knicks vs. Thunder matchup is a must-watch, as these are two of the hottest teams in the NBA. The Knicks are 9-1 in their last 10, and are now just 1-game behind the Celtics for the two seed in the East, while the Thunder have won 13 straight. OKC has just two losses at home this year, and are favored by -4.5. I see this one coming right down to the wire, living up to its hype. I’m going with New York to cover at +4.5.