Knicks vs Jazz Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

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13 December 2023

Knicks vs Jazz Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

Given Utah's current defensive struggles and New York's absence of a key defender in the paint, Ed Scimia anticipates a high-scoring matchup when these two teams meet on Wednesday night. Read more in our Knicks vs. Jazz betting picks.

Both teams could be forced to play without key starters as the New York Knicks visit the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.

The Knicks (13-9) will be without Mitchell Robinson, who is out with a stress fracture in his left ankle. Meanwhile, the Jazz (7-16) have struggled without All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen, who enters tonight with a strained left hamstring.

Markkanen’s status is currently uncertain, and the NBA odds have New York as a significant road favorite in tonight’s contest. We’ll break down the matchup in our free NBA picks and predictions for Knicks vs. Jazz on December 13.

Knicks vs Jazz odds

Knicks vs Jazz predictions

When the Utah Jazz lost Lauri Markkanen to a hamstring injury three weeks ago, most pundits expected them to struggle. The Finnish star was averaging 23.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game before being sidelined.

Subsequently, Utah has posted a 3-5 record following Markkanen's absence. And while the loss of the big man has predictably been felt on offense, the Jazz have also found it difficult to defend in recent days.

In their last three games — all blowout losses — Utah has allowed an average of 132.7 points per game, with the Mavericks torching them for 147 last week. Overall, Utah is allowing 120.3 ppg, the sixth-worst mark in the NBA.

Without Mitchell Robinson, the New York Knicks have lost the team's premiere rim defender and league’s best offensive rebounder. While the Knicks have plenty of star power and capable scoring threats, they’re now playing a slightly different brand of basketball than they have for most of the season.

When Robinson exited the game against the Celtics on Friday, the Knicks conceded 133 points, and they followed that up by allowing 130 to the Raptors on Monday. Even before the injury, the trend was emerging, with New York hitting the Over in five consecutive games. However, it has intensified significantly in Robinson's absence from the lineup.

If we look at the overall numbers this season, we’d expect the Knicks to try to slow down the game a bit while the Jazz looked to draw New York into more of a shootout. However, without their defensive stalwart in Robinson, the Knicks are having to play with a more offensive mindset. Meanwhile, the Jazz have never been great on defense and seem to be struggling even more without Markkanen.

That all points me towards the Over tonight. Even if Markkanen plays, that should be a net positive for the total, as the seven-footer is a prolific scorer and should be able to take advantage of Robinson’s absence in the paint.

Both teams have played towards the Over lately, and the number tonight is just 227.5 — a very reasonable number given what we’ve seen out of these teams lately.

My best bet: Over 228.5 (-110 at FanDuel)

Knicks vs Jazz same-game parlay

Over 228.5

Knicks -5

Jalen Brunson Over 24.5 points

I expect plenty of scoring tonight, so taking the Over is an obvious start for a same-game parlay. I’m going to combine that with a bet on the Knicks to cover the five-point spread. Even with Markannen returning, Utah remains at a disadvantage against New York's lineup.

Win with plenty of points expected, it’s a fair bet that Jalen Brunson will get his share of buckets. I’m taking the Over on Brunson’s scoring prop of 24.5 points. While Brunson has yet to hit that total this month, he’s come close in his last four games and should feast on a porous Utah defense tonight.

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Knicks vs Jazz spread and Over/Under analysis

The Knicks opened tonight’s game as a six-point favorite. This number is bouncing around a bit as of midday Wednesday, so I recommend shopping around at several sites to ensure you get the best number.

New York has been solid for bettors this year, going 11-9-2 against the spread on the season. Meanwhile, Utah has put up an 11-12 mark ATS so far.

The Knicks are undoubtedly the superior team in this matchup, a fact that holds true whether Markkanen is in the lineup or not. The Jazz have faced three consecutive double-digit losses, with similar outcomes in their last two games even with Markkanen playing.

The total for tonight’s game opened at 229 points. That number steadily dropped until Markkanen was upgraded to probable, and the Over/Under recovered to about 228.5 at most sites. There’s equal -110 action on both sides at many sites, with a few books dropping the hook and offering 228 or 229 as their main totals.

Both teams have played slightly above the total this season. The Over is 12-10 in Knicks games this year, as well as 13-10 when the Jazz play.

Recently, both teams have been allowing a ton of points, and the Knicks have pushed the pace a bit after spending most of the season as one of the slowest teams in the NBA. With a fairly modest total on the board tonight, the Over is the clear play.