NEW YORK KNICKS VS. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER – ODDS & PREDICTIONS FOR DECEMBER 27, 2023

Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Latest Basketball News. One of the games on the tap from Wednesday night’s slate features the New York Knicks (17-12 SU, 16-12-1 ATS) taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder (19-9 SU, 19-8-1 ATS).

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

Tipoff

• When: Wednesday, December 27, 2023 at 8:00 PM ET
  
• Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  
• TV: BSOK

New York Knicks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Via DraftKings)

New York Knicks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder – Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

New York Knicks Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 115.1 PPG – 15TH
  
• Offensive Efficiency: 118.4 PPOHP – 10TH
  
• Scoring Defense: 112.4 PPG – 10TH 
  
• Defensive Efficiency: 115.6 PPOHP – 14TH   

*PPOHP = points per one hundred possessions

The New York Knicks enter this matchup with a 5-5 record in their last 10 games. This includes a 129-122 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night. In that contest, Jalen Brunson scored a team-high 38 points to go along with six assists and four rebounds. 

Julius Randle contributed 24 points and nine boards, while RJ Barrett added 21 points and six rebounds. The victory snapped Milwaukee’s seven-game winning streak. 

Oklahoma City Thunder Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 121.0 PPG – 5TH
  
• Offensive Efficiency: 119.6 PPOHP – 6TH
  
• Scoring Defense: 113.4 PPG – 14TH  
  
• Defensive Efficiency: 112.0 PPHOP –6TH   

*PPOHP = points per one hundred possessions

Meanwhile, the Thunder come into this matchup with seven wins across their last 10 contests. This includes a 129-106 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night. This was no small feat as Minnesota has the best record in the league. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a team-high 34 points. He also tallied nine assists, six rebounds, and two steals. Jalen Williams added 21 points and three assists, while Chet Holmgren tallied 20 points, five assists, and four rebounds. 

Now, let us dive deeply into the all-important betting trends for both sides.

The Picks

The Spread

The Oklahoma City Thunder were a consensus 2.5-point favorite in this matchup. The line has moved up slightly to three points for the home team. Here are a few trends that suggest why taking the home team to cover is the way to go. 

• The Knicks are 2-7 ATS in their last nine matchups against the Thunder.
• The Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
• Oklahoma City is 6-1 ATS in their last seven matchups against Eastern Conference opponents.
• The Thunder are 4-2 ATS in their last six games they played on a Wednesday.
• OKC is an impressive 11-5 ATS in their home games, while New York is 10-7.

Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder (-3)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 239 points. The line has moved to 240 points, with the “over” garnering 100 percent of the cash and 92 percent of the tickets (per pre-game.com). Here is a look at why going with the “over” is the smart choice here. 

• The total has gone OVER nine times in the Knicks’ last 12 outings.
• In New York’s last 10 road games, the OVER total hit eight times.
• The OVER total has won out six times in the Knicks’ last seven matchups against Western Conference opponents.
• In the Thunder’s last eight games, the total has gone OVER six times.
• The OVER total has cashed in eight times for OKC in its last 10 games against the Knicks. 
• In Oklahoma City’s last eight home games, the OVER total won out seven times.
• The OVER total prevailed 10 times in OKC’s last 13 matchups against teams in the Atlantic Division. 

Prediction: OVER 240 points

Prop Bets

The key player to focus on for the New York Knicks is Jalen Brunson. He currently has -135 odds of scoring more 26.5 points and +105 odds of scoring less than 26.5 points. Let us look at how Brunson’s numbers compare with the projected total for this matchup.

• In 14 career games against the Thunder, Brunson is averaging 14.1 points per contest. 
• On the season, he is averaging 26.1 points per outing.
• Brunson has played against Northwest Division teams twice this season. In those contests, he is averaging 24 points per outing.
• In 17 road games, Brunson is averaging 26.9 PPG.
• Brunson has played against Western Conference teams nine times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 25.6 PPG.
• The last six times he has played on a Wednesday, his points-per-game average is 21.2.
• During December – a sample size of 11 games – Brunson is averaging 27.6 PPG.

As the trends seem to indicate, going with the “under” for Brunson looks like the better choice here.

Prediction: Jalen Brunson UNDER 26.5 points

The key player to watch for the Oklahoma City Thunder is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He currently has -130 odds of scoring more than 33.5 points and +100 odds of finishing with less than 33.5 points. Here is a closer look at how SGA’s splits compare with the projected scoring total for this matchup. 

• In seven career games against New York, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 22.6 points per contest. 
• On the season, he is averaging 31 points per outing.

SGA has played against Northwest Division teams just once this season. In that contest, he finished with 31 points.

• In 15 home games, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 30.7 PPG.
• SGA has played against Eastern Conference teams seven times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 34.4 PPG.
• The last five times he has played on a Wednesday, his points-per-game average is 33.4.
• During December – a sample size of 10 games — Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.5 PPG.

Although the recent body of work is impressive, I would suggest going with the “under” for Gilgeous-Alexander in this matchup. 

James’s New York Knicks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Picks

• The Spread: Oklahoma City Thunder (-3)
• Over/Under: OVER 240 points
• Player Prop Bet #1: Jalen Brunson UNDER 26.5 points
• Player Prop Bet#2: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander UNDER 33.5 points