Nuggets vs Knicks Odds, Spread & Picks (March 18)
- The Denver Nuggets are 2-point road favorites in a Saturday matinee vs the New York Knicks
- Jalen Brunson (foot) will miss a fourth straight game
- Read below for the Nuggets vs Knicks odds and predictions
A game after snapping their season-long 4-game losing skid, the Denver Nuggets (47-23, 17-17 away), with a playoff berth clinched, can focus on locking up the top seed in West’s NBA Playoff Bracket.
We’ll see how they contend with one of the league’s best teams since the all-star break, when they visit the New York Knicks (41-30, 19-16 home).
New York may have a better record on the road than at home, but they’ve ripped off six straight at MSG. It will be their first game since returning from a West-coast trip, beating up on Portland Tuesday.
Denver hits the halfway point of a 5-game Eastern swing, looking to build on their last win against the Pistons.
It all gets underway Saturday (March 18) at 1pm ET from Madison Square Garden. You can watch the game live on NBA League Pass.
Nuggets vs Knicks Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Nuggets | -2 (-110) | -130 | OFF |
| New York Knicks | +2 (-110) | +110 | OFF |
The NBA odds have the Nuggets as two-point road favorites, and -130 on the moneyline, an implied win probability of 56.52%.
New York sits comfortably in fifth in the East, 1.5 games back of the Cavaliers, and 1.5 clear of the Brooklyn Nets.
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Odds as of Mar 17 at DraftKings.
Denver Betting Analysis
The Nuggets are working to clinch top seed in the conference for the first time in franchise history. They hold a 4.5 game lead over the SacTo Kings with 12 games to play.
Home court advantage through the West would be a huge bonus, as they hold the best home record in the NBA (30-6) and currently sit fourth in the NBA Championship odds.
They crushed the Pistons last game 119-100, bouncing back from a debacle of a defeat in Toronto the previous game, when they surrendered 49 first-quarter points en route to a 15-point thumping.
A complete performance from Nikola Jokic in the Nuggets W 🃏
30 points
10 rebounds
9 assists
78% FG pic.twitter.com/oZZuvcBND5— NBA (@NBA) March 17, 2023
Nikola Jokic led the way with 30 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, shooting a crisp 14-for-18 from the field. All five starters cracked double digits, including Jamal Murray, who had 19 points, six rebounds and 10 assists.
The most encouraging sign was the defense, which had allowed 123 points a game during their losing streak. Denver forced 17 Pistons’ turnovers, about four ticks higher than their season average, as they held an opponent at 100 points or less for just the third time in the last 23 games.
Despite their recent struggles, this team is potent offensively, seventh in scoring (116.9), first in shooting (50.8%) and second in three-point shooting (38.7%). They’re 13th in the league in scoring D, holding teams to 113 points per game.
New York Betting Analysis
Perhaps more concerning for the Knicks than playoff positioning is the health of star guard Jalen Brunson. He’s dealing with a foot injury that will cause him to miss his fourth straight game, and the sixth in the last seven.
The Knicks have stayed afloat without him on this stretch, going 3-2, including two straight wins to wrap up their road trip. They punctuated it with a 123-107 win against the Trail Blazers.
https://twitter.com/IQfor3/status/1635859928056315904
Immanuel Quickley dropped a team-high 26 points, adding 10 rebounds and three dimes, while all-star Julius Randle was solid again, with 24 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. RJ Barrett was the third 20+ scoring starter, with 22 points and five boards.
Josh Hart was a do-everything guy off the bench, finishing with 16 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and three steals. New York is 11-3 since adding him at the trade deadline.
The Knicks’ defense has turned into a real strength and will be tested against a legit offense. New York has the 7th-best scoring defense, while holding the 3rd best field goal (45.5%) and three-point shooting defense (34.6).
Nuggets vs Knicks Betting Prediction
There’s also a fierce matchup inside, where New York has the top paint scoring defense, holding teams to 47 points per game — the only team that goes sub-50, and eight points clear of second. Denver lives inside, scoring 55 paint points per game, which ranks fourth.
Have the Nuggets put that ugly stretch behind them? They’re currently 1-5 against the spread in their last six, while the Knicks are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven home games.
Denver has not fared well as a road favorite, going 8-13-0 ATS, but they are 4-0 ATS in their last four trips to Gotham.
Look for that trend to continue, as Brunson’s loss proves too large against a true contender.
Pick:
- Nuggets -2 (-110); 1.5 units to win 1.36 units
- NBA Betting Record: 36-32-1 ATS, 1-2 ML, 7-0 o/u, 0-3 parlays; -6.69 units
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Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV's Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric's work has appeared in local and national publications alike.
