The New York Knicks are longing for the Big Apple heading into their road game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
The Knicks, who make stop No. 5 of this six-game Western Conference road trip in L.A., have lost two in a row (at Denver and Phoenix) and hold a mere half-game grip on the fourth spot in the East. The Clippers, on the other hand, are pushing for a Top-2 place in the West and have won two straight heading into this non-conference matchup.
Here are our free NBA picks and predictions for Knicks vs. Clippers on May 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Knicks vs Clippers odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
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NBA Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonLos Angeles opened as a 7.5-point favorite and was quickly bet up to -9 before coming back to -7.5 and eventually -7. According to FanDuel sportsbooks, 62 percent of bets are on New York while 63 percent of the money is riding on the Knicks. The Over/Under opened at 216 and dipped as low as 214.5 before coming back up to 215. However, the total has drawn 87 percent of bets on the Over while 89 percent of the money is also on the Over.
Check out the full line movement for this game.Knicks at Clippers betting preview
Injuries
Knicks: Alec Burks G (Questionable), Immanuel Quickley G (Questionable).
Clippers: Serge Ibaka F (Questionable), Amir Coffey F (Questionable).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Clippers are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 home games. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Clippers.
Against the spread (ATS) pick
Everything seems to be coming together for the Clippers at the right moment. Los Angeles snapped a three-game slide with wins over Toronto and the L.A. Lakers, returning key contributors Kawhi Leonard and Patrick Beverley in the process.
Those additions bolstered one of the NBA’s best defenses, which locked down those two foes to a collective 42 percent from the field, 31 percent from beyond the arc, and allowed point totals of just 94 and 100. Since the All-Star break, the Clippers own the fifth-best defensive rating in the league (109.6) and set their sights on a floundering New York attack.
The Knicks mustered only 97 and 105 points in those two recent defeats, connecting at less than 42 percent from the floor combined. New York’s scoring depth is dinged up, with injuries to Alec Burks and Immanuel Quickley thinning the Knicks' backcourt. That’s bad news with L.A. allowing an average of only 42.8 points to guards in its last two wins and ranking eighth in the NBA at defending the position on the year.
While Los Angeles has been getting the job done with defense, there’s no denying the depth and explosiveness of this lineup. The Clippers hung 129 points on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden back in late January – the second-most points allowed by New York’s No. 1-ranked defense in regulation all season.
PREDICTION: Los Angeles -9 (-110)
Over/Under pick
The Clippers scored 118 points on the Lakers’ vaunted defense Thursday but could have done much more damage if not for careless basketball. They shot 53 percent from the floor and made 14 triples, but coughed the ball up 22 times.
Head coach Tyronn Lue called out his players for the sloppy outing, looking to tighten the bolts in the final stretch of the schedule in hopes of ditching those bad habits before the playoffs. The Clippers had just seven turnovers in their previous matchup with the Knicks, who aren’t the most aggressive team in terms of forcing those mistakes.
The combo of Leonard and Paul George has been somewhat subdued in recent outings, with the pair combining for 36.7 points on 35-for-66 shooting since Kawhi came back in the loss to Denver on May 1. The pair notched a collective 45 points in their last meeting with New York.
Los Angeles has also been shooting well from beyond the three-point line during this current four-game home stand. The Clippers are 42 for 99 from distance in the past three games (42.4 percent) and face a Knicks squad that just allowed Phoenix to sink 18 triples in Friday’s loss to the Suns.
With Leonard working off the rust and the offense cooking up chemistry, expect a big offensive outing from L.A. on Sunday.
PREDICTION: Over 216 (-110)
Player prop pick
Leonard has slowly worked his way back into the Clippers offense in his three games since returning from a foot injury.
He’s averaged only 15 points on 14-of-27 shooting but has served as a distributor with opponents clamping down on him. Kawhi has assist totals of six, five, and six in those three games and has dished out five or more dimes in eight straight games, going back to early April.
While I do expect a bigger scoring effort from “The Klaw” on Sunday, New York will throw a lot at Leonard and leave space for the Clippers’ role players, who have made the most of those looks when Kawhi passes it their way.
PREDICTION: Kawhi Leonard Over 5.5 Assists (+120)
Knicks vs Clippers betting card
- Los Angeles -9 (-110)
- Over 216 (-110)
- Kawhi Leonard Over 5.5 Assists (+120)
Picks made on 5/8/2021 at 2:39 p.m. ET
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