Houston Rockets vs New York Knicks Point Spread Picks

OK, so the Knicks can't beat the Pistons. They are 0-3 against Detroit this season after losing, 126-111, to the Pistons at home this past Thursday. But against the rest of the league, the Knicks are 35-18. They are 10-3 in their last 13 games. Houston is 34-20 on the season. The Rockets are the NBA's top rebounding team. The Knicks, though, outscore the Rockets by an average of nearly five points a game, while ranking third in rebounding and sixth defensively. New York has played well at Madison Square Garden, going 21-8 with a 19-10 (65.5%) ATS mark. The Rockets are 16-13 on the road. Houston ranks among the bottom five teams point spread-wise at 23-31 (42.5%). The Rockets failed to cover in their last game, a 105-101 road victory against the Hornets. Houston is 12-21 ATS following a win. Take the Knicks.

Houston has had time to regroup after shooting poorly in a loss to Brooklyn. All-Star center Alperen Sengun has missed two straight with a calf injury but is likely back. The offense is 13th in points scored, while the defense is fifth in points given up and sixth in field goal shooting allowed. The Rockets are on a 26-12 SU, 23-15 ATS run. They're also 5-1 ATS in their last six as an underdog. New York has injury concerns, with fourth-leading scorer OG Anunoby (16.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg) leaving the previous game with a sprained ankle. He will be a game-time decision. They come off a 128-112 home loss to the Lakers as an 11-point favorite. The defense has dropped this season to 20th in field goal shooting allowed (47%) and last at defending the 3-pointer (37.9%). Play Houston. 

The NY Knicks are just three games behind for the No. 2 seed in the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs. The Knicks were playing at an extremely high level over a stretch of 17 games where they went 15-2. That high level is difficult to maintain over a long NBA schedule. The Knicks value is too high, and since that 17 game stretch they have come out the otherside just 1-3 SU and ATS. This isn't the same Knick's team that went 15-2 over 17 games, but they are now getting priced as if they are. The Knicks will be without Randle, and Anunobi today, and this line looks a bit heavy. Make the play on Houston.