DENVER NUGGETS VS. NEW YORK KNICKS – ODDS & PREDICTIONS FOR JANUARY 25, 2024

Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Latest Basketball News. One of the games on tap from Thursday’s slate features the Denver Nuggets (31-14 SU, 19-24-2 ATS) taking on the New York Knicks (27-17 SU, 25-18-1 ATS).

Here is a look at which team has the edge going into this matchup and why.

 

Tipoff

• When: Thursday, January 25, 2024
  
• Time: 7:30 PM ET
  
• Where: Madison Square Garden
  
• Location: New York City, New York
  
• TV: MSG and ALT

Denver Nuggets vs. New York Knicks Odds (Via DraftKings)

Denver Nuggets vs. New York Knicks – Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

Can The Nuggets Continue Their Hot Streak Against The Knicks?

Denver Nuggets Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 115.9 PPG – 14TH       
• Offensive Efficiency: 119.3 points per 100 possessions – 7TH         
• Scoring Defense: 110.9 PPG – 6TH       
• Defensive Efficiency: 114.2 points per 100 possessions – 12TH   

The Nuggets have the third-best record in the Western Conference. They have won seven times in their last 10 outings, and they enter this matchup riding the wave of a three-game winning streak. 

This stretch includes a 114-109 win over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night. Nikola Jokic finished with 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. 

He also converted three of his four attempts from beyond the arc, including the game-clinching basket with 6.1 seconds left. 

“When you have Nikola Jokic starting at center, Jamal Murray starting at point guard, and the display they put on in 20 playoff games last year, we walk into every arena fully expecting to win,” Denver coach Michael Malone said after the game.

This contest marked the 13th time that Jokic has notched a triple-double this season. Meanwhile, Jamal Murray also scored 31 points to go along with eight rebounds and seven assists. 

Denver is hoping for a similar effort against a surging Knicks team that has won each of its last four contests. 

Can The Knicks Extend Their Winning Streak Against The Defending Champs?

New York Knicks Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 115.0 PPG – 16TH   
• Offensive Efficiency: 118.1 points per 100 possessions – 8TH      
• Scoring Defense: 110.4 PPG – 3RD       
• Defensive Efficiency: 113.4 points per 100 possessions – 9TH    

The Knicks currently occupy the No. 5 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race. But they are one of the hottest teams in the league right now.

They have posted eight wins in their last 10 contests. Additionally, they have posted wins in each of their last four outings. This includes a 108-103 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night. 

Jalen Brunson scored 30 points (on 11-for-22 shooting) to go along with four assists and three rebounds. Julius Randle finished with 30 points as well. He also tallied nine rebounds, and seven assists while knocking down both of his attempts from beyond the arc. 

The Knicks trailed by nine points going into the final frame but responded in a big way, outscoring Brooklyn by a 32-18 margin. 

“I didn’t think we played particularly well, but I love how we responded in the fourth quarter,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said, via CBS Sports. “That said a lot about who we are. The bench, they were hustling, flying all over the place. That closed the gap and gave us the hope that, OK, we can get this done. Then when the starters came back, they fed off that energy.

“Finding a way to win when you’re not at your best is huge and that’s the bottom line. Just find ways to win. I think our team is doing that.”

While New York managed to overcome a fourth-quarter deficit, they must play well from the tipoff to keep their winning streak intact. 

Now that we have set the table for this East vs. West matchup, let us take a glance at the all-important betting trends for both sides.

The Picks

The Spread

The Nuggets opened as a one-point favorite. At the time of this writing, the line has climbed to two points for the road team. 

Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season. 

• The Nuggets are 12-5 in their last 17 games against New York.
• Denver is 4-1 ATS in its last five road games against the Knicks.
• In their last five matchups against Atlantic Division opponents, the Nuggets are 4-1 against the spread. 
• The Knicks are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games overall. 
• New York is just 1-4 ATS in its last four home games against the Nuggets.
• In their last six matchups against Northwest Division teams, the Knicks are 2-4 against the spread.

Based on these trends, going with the road team to cover the spread is the best option. 

Prediction: Denver Nuggets (-2)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 227.5 points. The line recently dipped to 223 points (via pre-game.com). Here is why going with the “UNDER” is the smart choice. 

• The total has gone UNDER four times in the Nuggets’ last five games.
• The UNDER total has hit five times in Denver’s last seven January contests.
• In the Knicks’ last six games, the UNDER total is a perfect 6-0.
• The total has gone UNDER four times in New York’s last six matchups against Denver.
• In the Knicks’ last five home games, the UNDER total hit ALL five times.
• The UNDER total has cashed in four times in New York’s last five games against Western Conference opponents. 

Prediction: UNDER 223 points

Player Prop Bets

The player to watch for the road team is Jamal Murray. He currently has -120 odds of scoring more than 24.5 points and -110 odds of scoring less than 24.5 points (Via DraftKings). Let’s see how his numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup. 

• On the season, Murray is averaging 21.3 points per outing. 

• In 14 road games, he is averaging 23.1 PPG.
• Murray has played against Eastern Conference teams 14 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 23.4 points per outing.
• In five matchups against Atlantic Division teams this season, Murray is averaging 24 PPG.
• During the month of January, he is averaging 24.6 points per outing, exceeding the projected points total for this matchup six times during that stretch. 

Given the above trends, going with the “under” for Murray is the best option.

Prediction: Jamal Murray UNDER 24.5 points

The key player to watch for the home team is Jalen Brunson. He currently has -120 odds of scoring more than 28.5 points and -110 odds of finishing with less than 28.5 points (Via PointsBet). Here is a closer look at how his numbers compare to the projected points total for this matchup. 

• During the season, Brunson is averaging 26.6 points per outing. 

• In 18 road games, he is averaging 25.9 PPG.
• Brunson has played against Western Conference teams 14 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 24.4 points per outing.
• He has played against Northwest Division teams five times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 20 PPG.
• In January – a sample size of 10 games — Brunson is averaging 29 points per game, exceeding the points total for this matchup eight times during that stretch.

Going with the “under” for Brunson is the smart play here based on the above trends.

Prediction: Jalen Brunson UNDER 28.5 points

James’s Denver Nuggets vs. New York Knicks Picks

• The Spread: Denver Nuggets (-2)
  
• Over/Under: Under 223 points
• Player Prop Bet #1: Jamal Murray Under 24.5 points
• Player Prop Bet #2: Jalen Brunson Under 28.5 points