Pelicans vs Knicks prediction, odds, preview

The New Orleans Pelicans hope to end a recent skid when they travel to the mecca of professional basketball to face the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. Tipoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT from New York City.

New Orleans has dropped its last two games (both at home) against inferior Eastern Conference foes. They suffered a 106-95 loss to the Miami Heat on the second night of a back-to-back stretch last week before dropping a 114-106 decision to the Chicago Bulls.

This recent two-game lull came after the hottest stretch of the season for the Pelicans. They had won eight of their previous nine games prior to that point and were establishing themselves as a contender in the Western Conference. 

Now, New Orleans is clinging to the No. 6 spot in the West at 34-24, separated from the Play-In Tournament by 0.5 games.

Things haven’t been much better for the Knicks, who are dealing with some injury issues. They are coming off a 113-111 win over the lowly Detroit Pistons, marking just their second victory in the last seven outings. New York sits No. 4 in the East with a 35-23 overall record.

These two teams have faced each other once this season, with New Orleans securing a 96-87 home victory as a 3.5-point favorite on Oct. 28.

The Pelicans are 2.5-point favorites on the road with an over/under of 218.5.

Let’s take a closer look at the odds and trends:

New Orleans Pelicans at New York Knicks

Spread (from Caesars): Pelicans -2.5

Over/under: 218.5

Moneyline: Pelicans -135, Knicks +115

Analysis: The NBA is a long season, so there are going to be highs and lows over the course of any campaign. But this feels like a good time for the Pelicans to bounce back to maintain their position in a tight Western Conference race.

The Pelicans’ loss to the Bulls was inexcusable, but ShotQuality actually graded their performance against the Heat as a win. New Orleans had a postgame win expectancy of 68% based on the shots taken in that game, according to that model.

It’s not always as simple as which team makes shots, but sometimes it can be. The Pelicans have ranked 24th in offensive rating over the last two games after being 12th during the nine-game stretch before that.

At -135, New Orleans has an implied probability of 57.45% of winning on the road. That is a bet worth making as the Pelicans look to get back in the win column.

Prediction: New Orleans 112, New York 106 (Under 218.5)

Best bet: Pelicans ML (-135 via Caesars)