The Los Angeles Lakers are on the second night of a back-to-back on Tuesday night after losing to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis both missed Monday’s game, and James is in danger of missing Tuesday’s game against the New York Knicks due to soreness in his foot.
Ham said LeBron’s foot will be evaluated first thing in the morning for his availability against the Knicks.
— Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) January 30, 2023
(I’m going to make an educated guess that LeBron will want to play in MSG after a league suspension kept him off the court last year and will make every effort to play.) https://t.co/F4D4sp6mov
It would be surprising to see James sit out against the Knicks as he chases the league’s all-time scoring record, but Los Angeles doesn’t want him to sustain anymore injuries ahead of the stretch run of the 2022-23 season.
The Knicks, who played and lost to Brooklyn on Saturday, have two days of rest coming into this game. On the season, the Knicks are just 2-4 against the spread with a rest advantage and they are under .500 at home.
Do the Lakers have a chance to win as short underdogs? Let’s dive into the latest odds:
Lakers vs. Knicks odds, spread and total
Lakers vs. Knicks prediction and pick
This bet is a little more of a lean, as we don’t know if James and Davis will both be in the lineup in this game.
If they are, I like the Lakers to cover the spread against a Knicks team that has struggled at MSG this season. New York is just 7-10-1 against the spread as a home favorite, and the team’s defense has really taken a step back lately without center Mitchell Robinson (thumb).
New York is just 27th in the NBA in defensive rating over its last 10 games.
The Lakers have played better basketball with Davis finally returning to the lineup from a foot injury of his own, and I just don’t have confidence in the Knicks as favorites if James and AD suit up.
In his career, LeBron is 40-16 against the Knicks, and this is a huge game on a national stage for the league’s brightest star.
I think the Lakers at least cover in this matchup if everyone suits up.
Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.
—
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.