The Lakers may be the best team in the NBA right now.
Los Angeles has been bent over the muscle despite losing Austin Reeves and Louis Hachimura last week, winning seven consecutive games and four games against the current playoff team.
The Lakers do this, but the Knicks are unable to beat the elite team and boast a horrible 0-7 record against the Celtics, Thunder and Cavaliers.
Adding the Lakers to that list, including budding titles, will be 0-8 this season against the top two seeds in both meetings, with Thursday's losses coming back to concern.
The oddsmaker opened on Thursday with a weaker 2.5 points rather than bullish on the Knicks entering the crypto.com arena, winning as they were bet on 4.5 by the beginning of Thursday.
Knicks vs Lakers Odds
| team | Spread it | Money Line | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knicks | +4.5 (-115) | +145 | 229.5 or higher (-105) |
| Lakers | -4.5 (-105) | -75 | Less than 229.5 (-115) |
Knicks vs. Lakers predictions
Hachimura is already listed for Thursday's game, but the Raves will be back for the Lakers.
Karl Anthony-Towns is there for the Knicks after missing his final match at Warriors' home.
In theory, the Knicks match the Lakers very well, with Los Angeles actually lacking centers and one of their number one boundary shooters missing.
But this is a Knicks team that plays some of the worst basketball of the season.
Even in the games they win, they play at thin margins.
The Knicks are just 28-32-1 against the spread (ATS) this season despite owning a 40-21 record.
Thursday's match will be a compelling matchup. The Knicks have the bridge between OG Anunoby and Mikaile to throw LeBron James and Lukadon Sic from a defensive standpoint.
Fox Sports gambling analyst Jason McIntyre points out that the Lakers will dominate the first quarter, with Doncic and James starting the game on the floor for a long period of time.
They are 8-2 ATS in the first quarter of the last 10 games.
Meanwhile, the Knicks are 8-21 ATS in the first quarter of this season and 4-6 in the final 10 quarters.
This is a scary trend for the Knicks as they consistently place themselves behind eight balls from the opening tip.
Eventually, the Knicks smashed the players in the second half and forced them to play massive minutes against the second unit, returning to the game and potential victory.
Are you going to bet on the NBA?
bur these first quarter numbers cannot be ignored.
Backing the Lakers in the first quarter as a 1.5-point favorite on Fanderel and enjoy the rest of the things I expect to see a defensive stalemate.
Pick: Lakers first quarter spread -1.5 (-108, Fandael)
Why trust New York Post Beds?
Erich Richter is a blue belt from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but he has a black belt for his MMA betting. During the football season, he has shown off massive profits in Player Prop Market posts over the past two seasons. While always betting on long shots, his return on investment is 30.15% since 2022.
