NBA Odds & Lines: LeBron James 116 Points From Record As Lakers Face Knicks
- Who: Los Angeles Lakers at New York Knicks
- When: Tuesday, Jan. 31
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Madison Square Garden (New York, NY)
Betting Odds Summary
- Spread: Knicks -1.5 (-108), Lakers +1.5 (-112)
- Moneyline: Knicks (-118), Lakers (+100)
- Total: Over/Under 232 (-110/-110)
The Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks both lost to the Brooklyn Nets on the road in their last games. The shorthanded Lakers fell to the Nets on Monday night as LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (foot) sat out the front end of a back-to-back. The Knicks lost to Brooklyn on Saturday and have had two days to prepare for Tuesday’s contest.
Spread, Moneyline, Total: Lakers vs. Knicks
Coming off back-to-back losses to begin their East Coast road trip, Los Angeles will have its superstars back in the lineup on Tuesday, as both Davis and James are expected to play.
Their return should boost a struggling Lakers team that is now 23-28 after losing three of its last four. However, as talented as that duo is, they haven’t had much help this year with perimeter shooting and defense.
Los Angeles gives up the fourth-most opponent points per game, which is problematic for a team that can’t shoot its way back into games (26th in three-point shooting percentage).
On the plus side for the Lakers, the Knicks are also scuffling. New York has lost five of its last seven games and is just 12-13 at Madison Square Garden this year, so there’s not much to fear. However, the Knicks have been much stronger defensively and are also dangerous offensively, with the sixth-best offensive rating in the NBA.
FanDuel has New York listed as slight favorites on both the moneyline and the spread, as this is an even matchup between two middle-of-the-road teams. LA always has a chance as long as James is playing, and we like the Lakers’ chances to cover and win outright with a rested James and Davis.
As for the over/under, we like the over for a few different reasons. As mentioned, the Lakers’ defense is poor, and the Knicks’ is average. Both offenses are outstanding, with LA ranking sixth in points per game and New York ranking sixth in offensive rating. Lastly, the Lakers play at the second-fastest pace in the NBA, so there should be no shortage of points.
Player Prop Bets: Lakers vs. Knicks
A playable player prop bet for this game:
- LeBron James Over 28.5 Points (-108)
James has been on an absolute tear this year as he closes in on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record. He’s averaging 30.2 points per game this season and has shown no signs of slowing down. Over his last eight games, he’s topped 30 points six times while averaging a whopping 35.3 points per game during that stretch.
James also loves playing at MSG, so count on him to cash the over on his scoring prop. It’s not a lock, but we think it’s a viable wager for the content.
James is also just 116 points from the scoring record. He could pass the mark in his next three games with a big one on Tuesday. Perhaps he’ll be extra motivated on Tuesday evening in the Big Apple.
