The New York Knicks accomplished something this season that they haven’t done in 10 years – making it to the Eastern Conference semi-finals. New York Knicks odds are available to bet on below. The team is still considered the biggest longshot to win the 2023 NBA Championship. New York missed the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
The Knicks are currently facing the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. Knicks versus Heat game lines, series prices and props are available to bet on below.
After a slow start to the season, the Knicks have been one of the best teams in the league since the beginning of December. Jalen Brunson’s arrival in the offseason has worked out better than most could have predicted as both he and All-Star forward Julius Randle are having career years. The Knicks got even better after acquiring Josh Hart at the trade deadline. They are firmly entrenched in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
New York Knicks odds
View updated New York Knicks odds below. Click to bet now. The Knicks were +9000 to win the NBA title on May 10.
Like a few other NBA teams, the Knicks are one loss away from going home. With Game 5 back at Madison Square Garden, New York has no room for error against the Heat. Jalen Brunson is averaging 26.8 PPG, 7 APG and 5 RPG versus Miami. Jimmy Butler is leading the Heat, averaging 26.7 PPG in the series.
Knicks Versus Heat Series Odds
This looked like one of those NBA Playoff series that could go either way, but the betting line is now heavily favoring the Heat. Knicks – Heat series odds show the Knicks at +550 and the Heat at -800.
Knicks NBA Title Odds
The Knicks started the season with roughly +6600 NBA title odds. A 10-13 start, however, forced oddsmakers to drop Knicks odds all the way to +14000 by the end of November.
New York’s trade for Josh Hart at the deadline ignited its rise back up the projections. By March 16 New York was right back where it started the season at roughly +6000 to take home the championship.
The Knicks are almost guaranteed to clinch the 5-seed, setting up a first-round series with the Cleveland Cavaliers. New York took two of three from the Cavs with one more left to play on March 31.
The Cavs should have at least a slight edge as the 4-seed and home court advantage in a potential Game 7. The home team won each of the first three meetings. Either way, it’ll be a bruising series between two of the best defenses in the league, the winner earning a second-round series with the 1-seed.
The Milwaukee Bucks currently hold the top spot in the Eastern Conference, but the Boston Celtics still have a shot to overtake them should Milwaukee stumble down the stretch. Regardless of how the top two seeds play out in the East, the road to the Finals will likely go through both Milwaukee and Boston.
New York has had success against Boston this season, claiming three of the teams’ four matchups. One of those wins came without point guard Jalen Brunson and the Celtics at full strength.
The Knicks have not fared so well against Milwaukee, however. The Bucks took all three matchups, winning by an average of seven points.
For those who enjoy a bruising brand of basketball, a Knicks-Bucks playoff series would be a true delight. Over their three meetings in the regular season the two teams combined for an average game total of 219 points.
It’s difficult to say which Western Conference squad is most likely to reach the NBA Finals. If New York can cobble together a miraculous run through the East it would almost certainly be considered the underdog in a series with one of the top teams in the West. They have an even 50% winning percentage in non-conference games this season.
Knicks roster
- Julius Randle
- Jalen Brunson
- RJ Barrett
- Immanuel Quickley
- Michell Robinson
- Josh Hart
- Quentin Grimes
- Jericho Sims
- Obi Toppin
- Isaiah Hartenstein
- Derrick Rose
- Evan Fournier
- Miles McBride
- Duane Washington Jr.
- Trevor Keels
- DaQuan Jeffries
Who are the best players on the Knicks?
Julius Randle: Julius Randle played the first four years of his career in Los Angeles with the Lakers after the franchise picked him 7th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft. He spent the majority of that time in an uphill battle to stave off the dreaded “bust” label, averaging just 13.5 points per game.
Randle posted his best season to date at the time in his final year with the Lakers, averaging 16 points and eight boards a night. It was also the only season he played in all 82 games.
Still, the Lakers let him walk and he signed a one-year deal with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2018. Randle bet on himself by signing such a short contract, looking to prove he could be one of the best scoring forwards in the game if given adequate run.
That bet cashed as the big man put up 21.4 points in 31 minutes a game that season. In the previous season with LA, Lakers’ head coach Byron Scott only gave the 23-year old an average of 26 minutes each night, despite the fact that Randle shot 56% from the field.
Finally considered a premier forward in the league, Randle signed a three-year deal with the Knicks worth $18 million per season in the 2019 offseason.
After a decent first season with New York, Randle took off in 2020-21, putting up career-highs in points, minutes, and three-pointers. His 5.5 attempts from deep and 2.3 makes were most notable considering the 6’10” power forward/center had never hoisted more than 2 attempts per game before coming to New York.
Randle also received his first of two All-Star selections that season.
This season has been another year of great progression for the seven-year veteran. Jalen Brunson’s addition to the team has had the exact impact on Randle the Knicks were hoping for. Free from the responsibility of running the offense as its primary ball-handler, Randle has again broken his career-highs in points (25.6 per game), rebounds (10.3 per game), and 3-pointers (2.9 made-threes on 8.4 attempts).
In fact, since December fourth, Randle has the ninth-most made threes on the seventh-highest number of attempts. The only frontcourt player with more makes and attempts from deep is the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum.
Jalen Brunson: Brunson is having his own career year in his first season as the Knicks starting point guard. After four seasons as Luka Doncic’s backup in Dallas, Brunson signed a four-year deal with the Knicks that will pay him $26 million per season.
Much like current teammate Julius Randle, Brunson just needed an opportunity to show he’s an NBA All-Star-caliber player. By his fourth season with the Mavericks last year, coach Jason Kidd knew he couldn’t keep Brunson buried on his bench. Though Brunson rarely started games, he was up to 32 minutes per game and a consistent member of the team’s crunch-time lineups.
In his first season with New York, Brunson is averaging a stellar 24 points and six rebounds in 35 minutes. His shooting splits of 49/41/84 have been crucial for a Knicks team that depends almost entirely on isolation ball, using the one-on-one skillsets of Brunson and Randle to create open shots.
Brunson has used that skillset to become one of the best clutch players in the NBA. He ranks third in points per game in clutch minutes with the second-best field goal and three-point percentages. He also puts up the fifth-most free throws at the end of close games, wildly impressive for a point guard standing at 6’2”.
His massive leap in production from last season has him in the running for Most Improved Player this season at odds.
He most likely crushed his chances at winning the award, however, by playing so well last year. Especially on the national stage of the NBA Playoffs. Dallas made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals last season, placing more eyeballs on Brunson’s true coming out party and elevating people’s expectations of him.
Knicks props
The Knicks odds Finder tool on TheLines.com allows you to easily search between New York Knicks team and player props. To view all of the available props in one chart use the search bar below.
Knicks current season
The Knicks started out slow this season, dropping 13 of their first 23 games. Coach Tom Thibodeau gave heavy minutes to veteran players early on and the team struggled to find its identity.
By early December Knicks Twitter was littered with fans calling for Thibs’s job. Whether he paid attention to the outcries of social media users or not, Thibs finally gave up his stubborn ways and gave the young guys a chance.
Quickley And Grimes Get Their Shine
When the trade deadline arrived on February 9, New York had won 23 of its previous 33 games, rocketing up the Eastern Conference standings from eleventh to fifth.
During that time, 23-year old guard Immanuel Quickley’s minutes rose by 45% from the previous 23 games and 24-year old guard Quentin Grimes by 78%. New York also jumped up to the third-best offensive rating in the league.
Josh Hart Effect
The Knicks took another step forward when they traded for guard Josh Hart on the final day of the trade deadline. Hart is an incredibly cerebral player and was thought to be a solid pickup for a team that lacked a true shutdown defender on the wing.
No one could have predicted he was going to have this big of an impact on the team’s success, though. Since acquiring Hart, the Knicks have been the third-best team in the NBA, winning 75% of their games.
Knicks transactions
The Knicks made one major move this season, acquiring guard Josh Hart at the trade deadline. New York sent Cam Reddish to Portland in the deal as a part of a four-team trade that also included the Philadelphia 76ers and the Charlotte Hornets.
Hart’s impact on the Knicks was immediate. In its first 16 games with Hart in the rotation, the team went 12-4 with a 121.4 offensive rating. That’s third-best in the league during that span and an increase of 6 points per 100 possessions from their previous rating.
Coach Tom Thibodeau loves a hard-nosed player like Hart and has played him more than 30 minutes per game. The six-year veteran has rewarded him with averages of 11.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals.
He also has the best individual defensive rating of any Knick since joining the team. That’s another reason Hart sees so much time, he’s consistently called upon to guard the other team’s best player.
Hart and his former college teammate, Jalen Brunson appear thrilled to once again play together after winning two national championships at Villanova. The Knicks have a +19 net rating over the 200+ minutes they’ve been on the floor together.
How to bet on the Knicks
Moneyline
A winning bet on the moneyline is determined by which team wins the game outright. Let’s use a hypothetical example with New York Knicks odds against the San Antonio Spurs.
Knicks -140
Spurs +175
The negative number on the Knicks moneyline (-140) indicates oddsmakers have them listed as favored to win. It would take a $140 wager to win $100 profit, plus the $140 originally posted for the bet. A $100 on the Spurs would net $175 in profit if they can pull off the upset.
Point Spread
The point spread considers the margin of victory rather than just which team is victorious. Take the below point spreads in a game between the New York Knicks and New York Knicks:
Knicks +4.5 (-115)
Knicks -4.5 (-115)
The Knicks are favored by 4.5 points, indicated by the “-4.5.” They need to win by at least five points to cover the point spread and win the bet. As underdogs, the Knicks can lose by up to four points or win the game for a bet on them to hit.
The (-115) odds listed next to each team’s point spread show the return on a correct bet in American Odds. Both teams have the same -115 odds so a $115 bet on the winning team pays the bettor $100, plus the $115 wagered. A $100 bet on the would earn the bettor $86.96 plus the initial wager if it hits.
Point Total (Over/Under)
A bet on the point total is determined by the combined number of points scored by both teams. Sportsbooks will provide a set number to allow bettors to choose whether the final combined scores of each team will be higher or lower than that number.
If the point total Knicks odds in a game between New York and the Philadelphia 76ers is set at 235 points and ends with a final score of 125-120, bettors who selected the over would win.
Live Betting
Betting on Knicks odds while they’re in-play is known as live betting, which can be a fruitful strategy for those who prepare ahead of time. Take a game that has the Knicks favored at -250 on the moneyline in their matchup with the Golden State Warriors who are +200 on the moneyline. A $100 bet on the Knicks before the game starts would only make a $40 profit.
You also know that the Knicks often start slowly when they play at home and there’s a good chance the Warriors are able to keep things close early in the game. Using that info, you could hold on to your bet until the game is in motion to see if the odds on the Knicks moneyline shift in your favor.
If the Warriors come out firing and claim an early lead, oddsmakers will move the line to reflect the current score, increasing the value of a bet on the Knicks to win, upping your profits on a correctly (and well-timed) bet.
Live betting is also where “hedging” your bets can come into play, a tactic by bettors where they make one bet before the game starts and then an opposing bet while the game is live as a way to recoup their potential losses. Let’s say you bet on New York (+180 underdogs) to win a game against the Chicago Bulls (-200 favorites), but at halftime the Knicks are down by 10 points. The live odds for a moneyline bet on the Bulls now only pays you back one-third of your money, or -300. By giving up on the Knicks and betting on the Bulls moneyline at -300 during halftime, you’re hedging your initial bet on the Knicks in an attempt to recover some money from a seemingly lost cause.
Parlays and Teasers
Parlays and Teasers combine multiple different bets together for an increased payout.
For a parlay example, let’s say the New York Knicks are favored against the Miami Heat (-140 on the moneyline) and the Cleveland Cavaliers are favored over the Minnesota Timberwolves at -200 on the moneyline. If you parlay the moneylines of the Knicks and Cavs together, the odds on your potential return jump up to +157 since you incur more risk trying to correctly predict two teams to win instead of just one.
A teaser allows bettors to move multiple point spreads or totals in their preferred direction. Let’s say you like the Knicks (-4.5) in their matchup with the Sacramento Kings as much as you do the Orlando Magic (-5.5 favorites) to defeat the Utah Jazz. You can tease both lines by four points (most books offer anywhere from four-to-six point teases) to shift the lines to New York (-0.5) / Orlando (-1.5). Now, both teams need to win by four-fewer points than the original lines for your bet to cash.
Futures
Future bets are placed on props in the longer-term future. Team win totals, award winners, and player performances are common future bets.
New York Knicks Franchise History
Founded in 1946, the New York Knicks franchise is one of the oldest in the NBA. Despite the prominence of the franchise across the country, it’s only won two NBA championships, both of them coming in the early 1970’s.
The Knicks struggled through most of the 1980’s before making a comeback in the 90’s thanks to its hall-of-fame center, Patrick Ewing. New York drafted Ewing out of Georgetown with the first overall pick in the 1985 draft and he remains the franchise-leader in most statistical categories.
Ewing’s Knicks never managed to win an NBA Finals in two appearances, however, making him one of the greatest players without a title in the game’s history.
In 2001, everything started going wrong for New York and it missed the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. Long-time head coach Jeff Van Gundy abruptly left his position 19 games into the season, citing frustration with owner James Dolan as the primary reason. The owner-coach feud would be the first of many over the next 20 seasons for the Knicks.
From 2001 to 2020, New York cycled through 11 different coaches. That’s a new coaching change less than every two seasons.
Julius Randle’s arrival finally quenched the Knicks’ playoff drought when he led them to the postseason in 2021. Knicks fans were so happy their team was playing a game in April, they mostly gave the team a pass for losing to the lower-seeded Atlanta Hawks in the first round. Especially when the Hawks made a run all the way to the Conference Finals.
This season’s team seems to be more reliable than the 2021 squad that was forced to rely on the aging Derrick Rose to create shots for it in the playoffs. As important as Randle and Brunson are to the team’s success, it’s the coaching staff’s willingness to play it’s up-and-coming players like Quickley and Grimes that differentiate this iteration of the Knicks.
Knicks fans may not be so quick to forgive their beloved team if they only manage to win one playoff game again.