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Washington-Wizards vs New York Knicks December 28th 2024
At 7:00 ET, the 3rd-ranked Knicks (21-10) will take on the 15th-ranked Wizards (5-23) in Washington. New York is currently favored by 13 and has won 6 straight games.
This Eastern Conference matchup will be played at Capital One Arena and can be seen on MNMT.
Knicks vs. Wizards Key Information
- Sport: NBA
- Teams: New York Knicks at Washington Wizards
- Where: Washington at Capital One Arena
- Date: Saturday, December 28th
- Betting Odds NY -13, NY -806 | WAS +553 O/U 228.5
The Knicks Can Win If…
The Knicks improved to 21-10 on the season with a dominant 108-85 road win over the Magic on Friday. New York, favored by 6.5 points, covered the spread comfortably, while the game’s total of 193 points fell well short of the 213.5 O/U line.
After trailing 29-26 at the end of the 1st quarter, the Knicks took control by winning the 2nd quarter 28-25. They then clamped down defensively, holding Orlando to just 14 points in the 3rd quarter before closing out the game strong, outscoring the Magic 32-17 in the 4th.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 26 points and 9 assists in their win over the Magic, shooting 52.4% from the field. Josh Hart added 23 points and 13 rebounds, hitting 63.6% of his shots, and scored 10 points in the 4th quarter.
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The Knicks shot 53.3% overall, but struggled from three, making just 4 threes at a 26.7% rate. Mikal Bridges contributed 17 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 16.
The Knicks’ defense was outstanding in their win over the Magic, holding them to just 85 points. After giving up 29 points in the 1st quarter, they tightened up, allowing only 25 in the 2nd, 14 in the 3rd, and 17 in the 4th. Overall, they limited the Magic to 36% shooting from the field.
New York also did a great job defending the three-point line, where Orlando hit just 10 threes on 30% shooting. The Magic went 11/12 from the free-throw line. The Knicks finished with 32 defensive rebounds, gave up 11 offensive boards, and recorded 10 steals and 3 blocks.
- Across the Knicks last ten road games, the team averaged 116 points per game while allowing 107. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 6-4, while going 8-2 straight-up.
- As the betting favorite, the Knicks have an ATS record of 4-1 in their last five games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 5-0.
- Over their last five games, the Knicks have an over/under record of 3-2 and are 4-1 vs. the spread.
The Wizards Can Win If…
The Wizards improved to 5-23 on the season with a 113-110 win over the Hornets on Thursday. Washington, who were +4.5 point underdogs, not only won but also covered the spread. The total points for the game came in at 223, falling short of the 229.5 O/U line.
Washington built a lead by outscoring Charlotte 34-25 in the 2nd quarter and led 96-87 going into the 4th. However, the Hornets went on a 10-0 run, taking the score from 100-99 to 110-99, before the Wizards rallied back to secure the win.
Jordan Poole led the Wizards with 25 points and 5 made threes in their 113-110 win over the Hornets, despite shooting just 36.8% from the field. Bilal Coulibaly added 20 points, and Alexandre Sarr chipped in 15 points, hitting 3 threes at a 50% rate.
As a team, the Wizards connected on 14 threes, shooting 31.8% from beyond the arc and 42.9% overall. Poole scored 11 of his points in the 1st quarter, while Sarr contributed 10 points in the 2nd.
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The Wizards gave up 110 points to the Hornets but held them to just 23 points in the 4th quarter, helping secure the win. Overall, Washington allowed Charlotte to shoot 43% from the field.
From beyond the arc, the Hornets hit 17 threes at a 40% rate. The Wizards sent Charlotte to the line 14 times, where they made 11 free throws. Defensively, Washington recorded 9 steals and 7 blocks.
- When looking at their past five home matchups, Washington has an ATS record of 2-2-1 while averaging 102 per game. The team went 0-5 overall in these games.
- As the betting underdog, the Wizards have an ATS mark of just 1-1-1 in their last three games. Washington posted a straight up mark of 1-2 in these matchups.
- In their last three games, the Wizards have an over/under record of 1-2 and are 3-0 vs. the spread.
The Lean
When looking to get a point-spread pick down in this Knicks vs. Wizards game, our recommendation is to take the Wizards at +13. Despite our model showing the Knicks winning 137-125, we like Wizards as our point-spread pick.
Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 228.5, and our model predicts the Knicks and Wizards to score a combined 262 points. We recommend betting on the over.
Knicks Look to Extend Win Streak vs. Depleted Wizards
The New York Knicks are riding a six-game winning streak and will aim to keep their momentum going on Saturday when they visit the Washington Wizards. The matchup is the first of two consecutive meetings between the teams in Washington, with the second set for Monday.
Knicks Winning Ugly but Effectively
The Knicks continued their recent success with a 108-85 road victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday. Despite committing 18 turnovers and shooting just 26.7 percent (4 of 15) from 3-point range, New York’s depth and defense carried the day.
Jalen Brunson led the team with 26 points, while Josh Hart added a season-high 23 points and 13 rebounds. Hart praised the team’s ability to win even when key players like Brunson or Karl-Anthony Towns have off nights.
“The special thing about this team is that we can win games when we don’t shoot the ball well,” Hart said. “We have enough depth and talent to win games.”
The Knicks have won 16 of their past 20 games, including 10 of 12 in December. They are tied for the second-most road wins in the NBA with an 11-6 record and are currently on a six-game road winning streak.
Defensive Improvements Power Knicks
After early-season struggles on defense, New York has made significant strides in recent weeks. Forward Mikal Bridges noted the team’s commitment to continuous improvement.
“Every day we just keep trying to get better,” Bridges said. “We want to win, that’s the main goal, but sometimes just getting better is what we’re looking for.”
New York has also dominated the Wizards in recent history, winning the last six meetings. In their most recent matchup, a 134-106 victory on Nov. 18, Brunson recorded 26 points and 11 assists.
Wizards Struggling but Finding Moments of Promise
The Wizards earned their fifth win of the season on Thursday, edging the Charlotte Hornets 113-110. Jordan Poole’s clutch 3-pointer with 8.1 seconds left sealed the victory.
“I’ve always felt like I’ve been the man for the moment,” Poole said after the game. “I make big shots all the time.”
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Poole finished with 25 points, while Bilal Coulibaly added 20. The Wizards had six players in double figures, but they remain last in the Eastern Conference standings.
Washington has been hampered by injuries, with Marvin Bagley III (knee) and Kyle Kuzma (rib) both sidelined. Kuzma will miss his 12th consecutive game on Saturday, and Poole is listed as questionable with a left hip contusion.
If Poole is unavailable, the Wizards will need increased contributions from Coulibaly, Malcolm Brogdon, and Corey Kispert to keep pace with the surging Knicks.
Knicks Poised to Capitalize
With Washington missing key players and the Knicks firing on all cylinders, New York is heavily favored to extend its winning streak to seven games. The depth and improved defense of the Knicks, combined with the Wizards’ ongoing struggles, make this matchup a challenging one for Washington.
