Alex Hunter breaks down his preview, prediction and pick for Sunday’s NBA matchup between the Knicks and the Warriors.
The Knicks are hosting the Warriors on Sunday. On DraftKings Sportsbook, New York is favored by 14.5 points and this game carries a total of 219.5 points.
Let’s dive into my preview and pick.
Knicks vs. Warriors Preview
The Knicks are back home Sunday after a five-game road trip in which they went 3-2. Competing away from Madison Square Garden has been the team’s main flaw this season, as New York is 19-16 on the road, compared to 23-9 at home.
Overall, the Knicks sit third in the Eastern Conference at 43-25 and they rank fifth in net rating this season. Josh Hart has missed two in a row with a knee injury, but he has been upgraded to probable for tonight, putting New York at essentially full strength. The Knicks will have their starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns intact for the 38th time this season and the team is an impressive 25-12 with these five players active.
New York lost to the Warriors 126-113 in Golden State back on Jan. 13th, but this was a completely different Warriors team from the squad the Knicks will meet tonight. In that win for Golden State, Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Al Horford all played, but all these players will be out tonight. Butler is out for the season with a torn ACL, Curry remains out with a knee injury, Green is out with a back injury and Horford is out with a calf injury.
To make matters worse, Kristaps Porzingis – who the Warriors traded Jonathan Kuminga for last month – remains unavailable due to his ongoing illness. Porzingis has only been able to play in four of 16 possible games since joining Golden State. Furthermore, De’Anthony Melton is out with a knee injury and Moses Moody is out with a wrist injury.
The Warriors will likely only have nine healthy players and resemble a G-League roster, with Pat Spencer, Brandin Podziemski, Will Richard, Gui Santos and Quinten Post likely starting. Podziemski and Santos could put up solid numbers, but this skeleton staff Golden State team competing for a win at Madison Square Garden tonight is extremely unlikely. The Warriors are the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference at 32-34, but since the All-Star break, they are 3-8 and rank 20th in net rating.
Knicks vs. Warriors Pick, Best Bet
On their home floor, the Knicks are going to dominate the depleted Warriors and New York -13.5 is an excellent bet.
At home this season, the Knicks are a league-best 21-11 ATS.