Knicks vs. Clippers prediction and odds for Saturday, March 11 (Trust New York)
By Josh Yourish
Just a few days ago the story coming into this one would be very different, maybe the exact opposite in fact. The Los Angeles Clippers were struggling big time and had lost five straight, and the New York Knicks were winners of nine-in-a-row and the hottest team in the league. Since that point, the Clippers have turned it around to beat Memphis and Toronto and the Knicks have dropped games to Charlotte and Sacramento. Oh how the turntables have…
The Knicks are still in a good spot at 39-29 and the Clippers still have work to do at 35-33, though both are in fifth in their respective conferences. Let’s take a look at the odds for NYC vs. LA(C).
Knicks vs. Clippers odds, spread and total
Knicks vs. Clippers prediction and pick
The Clippers have finally found a way to make things work with Russell Westbrook in their starting lineup. I thought it couldn’t be done, but at least for their last two games they’ve found an answer. The answer is to not play Westbrook very much. Against Toronto while he did start, he only played 23 minutes and finished with seven points and seven assists.
That’s a good recipe for LA, Westbrook is essentially the point guard version of the traditional big center that small-ball teams always start. He’s a starter insofar as he starts the game, but he’s not playing starters minutes. That means the Clippers rely on Terrence Mann and Eric Gordon much more.
The Knicks have a point guard problem of their own, just for today. Jalen Brunson is out with a foot injury and it’ll show just how important he is to New York and how they run their offense. The Knicks will have to go with all of their more defensive minded guards in this one. Josh Hart and Quentin Grimes will get even more minutes. We know Tom Thibodeau likes to play a defensive style and he’ll get to lean into that today.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change