Wizards vs. Knicks NBA expert prediction and odds for Thursday, Jan. 18 (Back New Yor

The New York Knicks are playing the second game of a back-to-back on Thursday against a team they are quite familiar with this season.

New York will face the Washington Wizards for the third time in the 2023-24 campaign, and the Knicks already have two wins by 16 or more points in this matchup. 

After beating the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night behind a huge second half – led by Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle – the Knicks would love to pick up another win and improve upon their standing in the Eastern Conference (currently the No. 5 seed). 

Washington has just seven wins on the season and has won just two of its last 10 games. The team lost to the Detroit Pistons earlier this month and is a dreadful 4-18 straight up on the road. 

The spread is this game has the Knicks set as massive favorites. Should we trust them to cover?

Let’s dive into the odds and my best bet for this matchup: 

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Wizards injury report

Knicks injury report

Washington Wizards

Kyle Kuzma: Kuzma has played well in his two meetings against the Knicks, scoring 19 and 27 points in those matchups. On the season, the Wizards forward is averaging 22.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. He’s easily the most consistent option for the Washington offense. 

New York Knicks

Jalen Brunson: Brunson returned to the lineup for the Knicks on Wednesday night after missing two games with a calf injury. He picked up right where he left off, scoring 30 points and hitting four 3-point shots in the process. Brunson is averaging 25.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. 

OG Anunoby: Anunoby has played a massive role for the Knicks since being acquired, and he’ll likely be tabbed with the Kuzma assignment tonight. The Knicks forward has played over 43 minutes in back-to-back games. 

Since the Knicks will have Brunson and Randle tonight (not listed on the injury report), I think the Knicks are the team to back in this matchup. 

New York is an impressive 8-5 against the spread as a home favorite, and while the Wizards are 12-9-1 ATS as road dogs, they have not been able to keep up with the Knicks. 

Since OG Anunoby joined the roster, the Knicks are 6-1 when Brunson, Randle and Anunoby all suit up. 

Over the last 10 games, New York ranks No. 2 in the NBA in defensive rating, while the Wizards are just 26th. Even if Kuzma has a big game, the Knicks can still weather the storm with their two stars on offense. 

I’ll fade the Wizards here against a team they’ve struggled to hang with. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.