Rockets vs Knicks Betting Odds: New York Favored Amidst Star’s Injury
Star Guard is Listed as “Questionable” For Wednesday
Knicks Laying 3.5 With Brunson’s Status Up in the Air
New York is favored by 5.5 points in this NBA In-Season Tournament game. It faces Houston for the first time since the 2023 NBA Playoffs. The Knicks are 4-1 in their last five games hosting the Rockets. But that one loss came when the Rockets ended the Knicks’ season. Potentially hungrier, New York could be the correct Rockets vs Knicks prediction here in what should be a grueling game as the low total indicates.
Rockets vs Knicks 
Records: (19-20) vs (23-17)
Date, time:
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Streaming: Live Sports Stream
How Much Does Jalen Brunson’s Injury Impact This Matchup?
Jalen Brunson may not have made the All-Star game last year, but he is the Knicks’ MVP. New York improved by 10 wins in 2022-23 and won a playoff series. Since last season, the Knicks’ 55.9% cover rate (71-56-6) is the fifth-best on the NBA spreads. New York is 8-8 without Brunson since last season.
“He’s an All-Star. You can take it that way. He’s an All-Star. To me he should be in the All-Star Game,” starting center Isaiah Hartenstein told The News in regards to Brunson. “To have an All-Star not on your team is gonna be hard regardless.”
New York managed just 94 points in the loss to Orlando, which was also down four key players. The Knicks were held to 39.8% shooting. Star forward Julius Randle shot just 5-of-18. Brunson’s absence impacted the team as statistics show the Knicks as 10 points better with him on the floor.
But New York can still depend on its solid defense. The Knicks are 14th in defensive rating but allow the third-fewest points at home at only 106.8 points. That’s partially why the total is set so low at 217.5 for this NBA game on Jan. 17.
Without Brunson, the Knicks are thin at point guard. They traded away Immanuel Quickley and must depend on a trio of guards, none of whom average more than nine minutes a game. On top of that, Josh Hart is also on the injury report. The swingman can do it all and his absence affects New York negatively on both ends.
Sputtering Rockets Need a Spark
Not even the return of the energetic Dillon Brooks could snap Houston from its funk. The Rockets have lost four of the last five and are 1-7 against the spread (ATS) in their last eight road games. Visiting New York will prove a daunting task as well and Houston similarly has a 1-7 ATS record against the Knicks.
Houston is just 4-14 on the road thanks to subpar play on both ends. The Rockets have a -7.0 net rating as a visitor, which is 22nd in the NBA. Compare that to their home games where they average a +7.5 net rating. It’s not surprising to see Houston spotted 3.5 points on the Rockets vs Knicks betting odds even against a shorthanded Knicks squad.
The Rockets started strong and even went 8-3 ATS in its first 11 games as an underdog. But they have only gone 4-11-1 since. Now, the team is under .500 for the first time since it lost its first three games. Houston is falling down the NBA standings and it needs to get something going.
Center Alperen Sengun has stepped up lately. He’s averaged 22 points and 8.6 rebounds on 50.4% shooting. But Houston needs more from its highly touted picks like Jabari Smith and Jalen Green.
Overall, the Rockets need to improve on its 27th-ranked effective field goal percentage (55.6%) to move the needle. Otherwise, expect this team to remain icky underdogs as the Rockets vs Knicks betting odds indicate.
Rockets vs Knicks Betting Odds
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