Lakers vs Knicks NBA Analysis, Odds, and Best Bet (2/1)

LeBron James inside of Madison Square Garden on Saturday night? Someone que up the Martin Scorcese meme!  The Los Angeles Lakers are visiting the New York Knicks for a matchup on the hardwood. There’s nothing more basketball fans could want from the NBA. Analysis, odds, bets — lets get into it.

Game Information

• Madison Square Garden New York, NY
• Los Angeles Lakers (27-19) visit the New York Knicks (32-16)
• Last Matchup: February 3rd , 2024 LAL Win 113-105

Los Angeles Lakers @ New York Knicks

These two NBA teams have not played each other since last season. Not a lot has changed for the Los Angeles Lakers in terms of personnel. However, they overhauled their coaching staff and put JJ Redick at the helm. The Knicks on the other hand overhauled their roster. They made multiple moves and Tom Thibodeau and staff were given a roster with entirely new capabilities. Both of these teams have been good with matching 7-3 records in their last ten.

Fans are daydreaming of the Lakers making moves and becoming true contenders. The reality of the situation likely is that this a flawed roster with a ceiling lower than fans of purple and gold would like to hear. Anthony Davis is out for this one with a abdominal injury so that leaves LeBron and company shorthanded for one of the hottest offences in all of the association.

The Knicks have scored 408 points in their last 3 games with a +70 differential. They have been dominating. I have been critical about their play at home but they’ve tightened up and are currently 17-8 when playing for the Garden faithful. They’ve won 5 straight games including big wins over the Nuggets and Grizzlies.

The Lakers-Knicks game tomorrow is the MOST expensive NBA game this season. 👀

Cheapest ticket? $420.
Showtime. 🍿

(Prices via @TickPick) pic.twitter.com/1eRuTKo4ra

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 31, 2025

NBA Game Analysis

LeBron James loves to play in New York at Madison Square Garden. He’s worn Tiffany & Co. shoes in 2023 and dropped 50 in 2008 as a youngster. MSG has been kind to the King. He averages 28.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 6.9 rebounds per game in NY. He has a record of 22 wins and 9 losses in the most hostile of hostile environments. Except this might be the best defensive Knicks team he has faced. Thibs should deploy a plethora of defenders from OG to Mikal.

LeBron James arrives to MSG in the new Tiffany & Co. x Nike AF1 low! #NBAKicks

🕢: 7:30pm/et 📺: TNT pic.twitter.com/w2TmvnDAJd

— NBA KICKS (@NBAKicks) January 31, 2023

This one should be a special one for the King as I am sure he knows that he does not have too many more games in the Big Apple. The Knicks are very good at limiting second chance points and fastbreak points. Without Anthony Davis the Lakers only way to win here is for LeBron to turn into a game manager. Perhaps Rui Hachimura can stay hot after his revenge game against Washington. James will need to manipulate the defence and find shooters because outside of Davis they have no post presence.

what a month… relive the best knicks moments of january 😊 pic.twitter.com/2mFKlcY2Ag

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 31, 2025

The Knicks can win this game the same way they’ve been winning as of late. Score the basketball and cause chaos. OG had six steals against Grizzlies and the team as a whole has been playmaking on the defensive end letting defence lead to offence. Serendipitously, this exact brand of basketball that gets Knicks fans rocking, especially on a Saturday night. When the Knicks limit turnovers (12 per game – 3rd) while forcing their opponent into mistakes then they are tough to beat. Their offence has both the second best effective field goal percentage and true shooting percentage. Basically, this team is evolving into an efficient killer.

got 10 minutes to spare?

perfect. here’s every josh hart rebound of 2025. pic.twitter.com/EeDaGO3733

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 31, 2025

NBA Best Bets:

Max Christie o1.5 Threes (-150)

Pay the juice man or use this as a parlay piece. The Christie family is having a moment in the association. In his last ten games he’s averages 2.2 threes a game and has hit this line in 8 of those 1o NBA games. New York is bottom last in three point percentage allowed as teams rain from three at 37.7% clip against the Knickerbockers.

Austin Reaves o2.5 Threes (-115)

Same logic as Christie. Opportunity and need. Furthermore, Head to head Austin Reaves has hit this 2/2 against the Knicks. In his last ten games without Anthony Davis he has hit this in 6/10. It hit in 3 of the last 5 and the two games he missed he hit two. This sample size goes as far back as 2023 and Austin is a much different player now. He’s been a very good facilitator as of late but they’ll need him to score here.

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