Knicks vs Trail Blazers Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

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14 March 2024

Knicks vs Trail Blazers Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

Portland will struggle to find opportunities to get points when it faces an outstanding New York defense tonight. Ed Scimia explains more as he breaks down his latest handicap in our Knicks vs. Trail Blazers betting picks.

The New York Knicks will look to continue their recent run of outstanding defensive play when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.

The Knicks (38-27) are sitting as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, and have managed to hold their ground even while dealing with a string of injuries. The Trail Blazers (19-46) have struggled this year but are playing better as of late, winning two of their last three contests in the NBA odds.

Nobody has been able to score against New York as of late, and Portland has one of the worst offenses in the NBA. We’ll look at how that impacts betting on tonight’s game in our free NBA picks and predictions for Knicks vs. Trail Blazers on March 14.

Knicks vs Trail Blazers odds

Knicks vs Trail Blazers predictions

The New York Knicks have played solid defense all year long. Holding opponents to just 47% shooting — combined with playing at the slowest pace in the NBA — has led them to allow just 108.3 points per game, the lowest figure in the Eastern Conference.

But New York has taken their style of play to a new extreme in recent days. Over the last three games, the Knicks are allowing just 77.3 ppg and haven’t allowed a single opponent to hit the 80-point mark.

“20 years ago, that really was the style of play,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters. “So to be able to do it in today’s game, it’s a credit to the team.”

New York has also gotten healthier as of late, with OG Anunoby returning to the lineup on Tuesday. It’s still unclear when Julius Randle will be ready to play, but this Knicks team is leaning into its identity and getting its key players back just in time to secure a top seed in the postseason.

That means a tough matchup ahead for the Portland Trail Blazers, who find themselves posted as a double-digit underdog at home tonight. Portland averages just 107.9 ppg and shoots 44.1% from the field, both of which rank in the bottom five of the NBA.

It’s not like the Knicks are known for lighting up the scoreboard, either. As I said earlier, they play at an extremely slow pace for the modern NBA and are averaging just 112.3 ppg for the season. Even in their recent stretch of defensive dominance, they lost one of those three games, with Philadelphia managing to beat New York 79-73 on Sunday. The Knicks have also eclipsed 100 points in just two of their last seven games.

Tonight’s total is set extremely at just 205.5, and yet it’s still not low enough considering how these teams have been playing. The Knicks should impose their style of play effectively tonight, which is why I’m backing the Under with confidence.

My best bet: Under 205.5 (-110 at BetMGM)

Knicks vs Trail Blazers same-game parlay

Under 205

Knicks -10.5

OG Anunoby Over 13.5 points

The Knicks should dominate this game on the defensive end. For my same-game parlay, I’ll combine the Under with taking the Knicks to cover the spread tonight. While 10.5 points is a lot, the Knicks have recent blowout wins over both the 76ers and Magic, giving me confidence that they can handle a weak Portland team even on the road.

Finally, I’ll take Anunoby to hit the Over on his scoring prop of 13.5 points. Anunoby is just coming back from injury but managed to score 14 points in just 29 minutes against Philly on Tuesday. He should get more time tonight, which will mean more points as New York continues to round him into shape for the playoff run.

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Knicks vs Trail Blazers spread and Over/Under analysis

The Knicks opened tonight’s game as an 11.5-point favorite. The consensus spread has dropped to New York -10.5, with -110 offered on both sides of the line at most sites.

New York has been slightly positive against the spread this year, posting a 33-30-2 ATS record on the season. Portland has had the opposite trend, going just 31-34 ATS for the year.

The total on this game opened at 206 points. Even that number was somewhat enticing to bettors, who have taken the Over/Under down to 205 or 205.5, depending on the book. While -110 is available on both sides at 205.5, you can also get -110 on the Over at 205 if that’s the way you want to play this.

Both teams have played to the Under this season, though to different degrees. The Under has a slim 34-31 advantage when the Trail Blazers play, while it has gone an impressive 41-24 in New York’s games this year.