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Free NBA Picks New York Knicks: Season-Long Handicapping and Specialization 1/10/2025

by Spencer Toth - 1/10/2025

Free NBA picks New York Knicks season long handicapping Josh Hart

The New York Knicks snapped their three-game losing streak on Wednesday, taking down the Toronto Raptors. While a win over Toronto will boost the morale in the locker room, the Knicks face a tough test against the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight in New York. 

New York’s 112-98 victory was a relatively comfortable one over the Raptors thanks to a 26-10 run to kick off the fourth quarter. While a 12-0 run to finish the game from the Raptors made the final score look respectable, New York had the lead and never looked back after the 6:00 mark of the first quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby both scored a game-high 27 points, as New York’s advantage on the glass was the real difference maker against the Raptors. While Towns was able to pile on 27 points, he was limping for most of the game which will give the New York faithful real concerns heading into tonight. 

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From a betting perspective, we went a perfect 2-0. The 231.5 point total was never in question, as we cashed a sweat-free under to kick things off. The second bet was on Karl-Anthony Towns to post under 43.5 Points+Rebounds+Assists, and he finished with 42. The 2-0 showing marks our fourth winning night in the last five Knicks games, as we have begun to pick up some momentum as the midway point of the season approaches. 

Tonight, the Knicks (25-13) host the Oklahoma City Thunder (30-6) at Madison Square Garden. These two teams met last Friday too, with the Thunder earning a 117-107 victory at home. New York completely collapsed in the fourth quarter, as they were outscored 37-19 in the final frame. They were unable to build on their 12 point halftime advantage, as the league’s hottest team once again found a way to win. 

The Thunder have an extremely young core and look poised to challenge for an NBA title consistently over the next decade. Keeping their promising talent has always been a concern for a small market team like Oklahoma City, but if that is a problem they do not have to worry about it now. Canadian superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been excellent for Oklahoma City, and he recently said he ‘can’t imagine playing anywhere else.’ His 31.3 PPG is just 0.2 points behind league leader Nikola Jokic, and his consistency has been truly remarkable this season. Despite his high average, he only scored more than 41 points twice this season, and both of them were exactly 45 points. He has scored 20+ points in 32 consecutive contests, as he has been able to consistently deliver on the offensive end. He torched the Knicks for 33 points last time these two met, and New York will need to slow him down if they hope to pull off this victory. 

The Knicks didn’t play poorly when these two teams met last week, but their inability to hit shots down the stretch cost them the win. They went 9/32 from behind the three point line compared to the Thunder’s 14/27 stat line. Those extra triples add up quickly, and three point defense is suddenly a massive concern for New York. Tom Thibodeau prides himself on running a tight ship on the defensive end. His ability to clog up the paint has worked wonders for the Knicks, but the modern-day NBA requires excellent long range defense too. Karl-Anthony Towns was expected to be the Knicks defensive liability, but it turns out their other leading scorer, Jalen Brunson, is. It doesn’t help that the Knicks have a shallow rotation and can lack energy for long stretches, but there is still no excuse for them not to close out capable shooters behind the arc.

The unheralded superstar in New York is Josh Hart, and he is poised for a big game tonight against the Thunder. Brunson and Towns get plenty of deserved credit for their work on the offensive end. On defense, OG Anunoby is regarded around the league as a top defender, while NBA minutes leader and Iron Man Mikal Bridges’ versatility is irreplaceable. That leaves Hart as the fifth starter, who may be the most important New York Knick. He is the glue of this team as his hustle, energy, and willingness to do the dirty work have turned him into a fan favorite. His 2-point double double against the Chicago Bulls last week is the perfect example of what he brings to this team. In his last ten games, he has had 3 triple doubles, 9 double doubles, and at least one steal in all of those contests. The Thunder do a great job at limiting turnovers, but Hart can be effective on the offensive end in a half court offense too. His 5.5 assists line has been cleared in 6 of his last 9 games, including 10+ assists in three of those contests. Hart will happily play facilitator against the Thunder, and this is a line he will clear more often than not. 

For the second bet of the night, we will be taking Under 225.5 points. These two teams combined for 224 last week, and that was with the Thunder shooting better than 50% from behind the three point line. Their shooting will come back down to Earth tonight on the road, and the Knicks allowed 103 or fewer points in their last 3 home games. While the Thunder will likely surpass that total, a 225.5 point line is a tad too high for this high stakes NBA showdown. 

Pick: Josh Hart Over 5.5 Assists -130 5 Units

Pick: Knicks vs Thunder Under 225.5 4 Units

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