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The New York Knicks travel to the Smoothie King Center to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, December 29, 2025 at 8:00 PM on the Gulf channel. New York is 22-9 and sitting second in the Eastern Conference, and it has been playing like a team that expects to win most nights. The Knicks just beat Atlanta 128-125 and that win made it nine victories in their last 11 games, which is the kind of stretch that hardens a team’s identity.
New Orleans is 8-25 and stuck at the bottom of the West, coming off a 123-114 loss to Phoenix. The Pelicans can score in bursts and they play with pace, but the defense has been the problem all season. This is a difficult matchup to fix that, because New York is efficient, physical, and it doesn’t need gimmicks to get quality shots.
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New York Knicks vs New Orleans Pelicans Odds
These are the current betting lines, and bettors should always monitor movement and updated numbers on the latest NBA odds.
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Knicks | -354 | -8.5 (-112) | O 243.5 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | +283 | +8.5 (-109) | U 243.5 |
New York Knicks Betting Form
New York’s offense is operating at an elite level right now. They’re third in points per game at 120.5, fourth in three-pointers made at 15.1 per game, and their 56.1 effective field goal percentage puts them near the top of the league in shot quality. It’s not just hot shooting either. Their spacing is consistent, they get good looks early, and when the game tightens up, they still have the shot-makers to survive.
The Atlanta win showed the ceiling. Karl-Anthony Towns put up 36 points and 15 rebounds, Jalen Brunson had 34, and OG Anunoby made the kinds of plays that swing close games without showing up as “the reason” in the final score. From a betting angle, this team is easier to trust because it can win multiple styles. If the pace is high, they can score with anyone. If it slows down, they can still generate efficient possessions. You can track how that’s translating to results and betting markets on the New York Knicks stats and results.
Availability matters here, so monitor the New York Knicks injury report before tipoff.
| Player | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Josh Hart | Out | Right ankle sprain |
| Miles McBride | Questionable | Left ankle sprain |
| Mitchell Robinson | Out | Left ankle injury management |
| Landry Shamet | Out | Right shoulder sprain |
New Orleans Pelicans Betting Form
New Orleans plays fast and it takes a lot of shots. They rank sixth in field goal attempts per game and second in two-point attempts, which tells you exactly what they want to do. Attack downhill, keep pressure on the rim, and try to win by volume. Trey Murphy III’s 24 points against Phoenix is the type of night they need from their perimeter scorers, and Derik Queen going for 21 and 11 is a good sign for their interior production.
The problem is the other end. The Pelicans have been leaking points all season, allowing 122.6 points per game, and that’s a nightmare against a Knicks team that already creates efficient looks. Even if New Orleans scores, it can still lose the math quickly if it can’t string together stops. The pace helps totals, but it also creates more possessions for the opponent, and against New York that’s dangerous. For the broader form picture, splits, and game logs, the New Orleans Pelicans schedule and stats page is the cleanest reference.
Availability matters here too, so keep an eye on the New Orleans Pelicans injury report before you lock anything in.
| Player | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Trey Alexander | Probable | Two-way designation |
| Jose Alvarado | Out | League suspension |
| Hunter Dickinson | Out | Two-way designation |
| Herbert Jones | Out | Right ankle sprain |
| Dejounte Murray | Out | Right Achilles rupture |
New York Knicks vs New Orleans Pelicans Matchup Breakdown
The Knicks have a clean edge in shot quality and stability. New Orleans wants to speed the game up and turn it into a volume contest, but that only works if the Pelicans are also getting stops. If they’re trading buckets, New York is comfortable living in that space because it shoots the three well and it finishes possessions with strong rebounding nights from its front line.
The other issue for New Orleans is that New York’s offense doesn’t need the Pelicans to make mistakes. The Knicks can run sets, get Towns into advantageous touches, and let Brunson operate in the areas he wants. That’s why the Pelicans’ defensive numbers matter more than their pace rankings here. If the defense isn’t trustworthy, the game script becomes “can New Orleans outscore an elite offense” instead of “can New Orleans hang around.”
From a betting perspective, you’re basically choosing between two ideas. Either New Orleans’ pace forces a high-possession game where +8.5 stays alive because the Pelicans keep scoring, or the Knicks’ efficiency and structure eventually turn this into a double-digit margin because New Orleans can’t defend for long stretches. If you like betting these style clashes, the NBA betting guide is useful for thinking through how pace and shot profile actually translate into spreads and totals.
New York Knicks vs New Orleans Pelicans Predictions and Best Bets
I lean Knicks -8.5. New York is simply the more complete team, and this is a matchup where its strengths land directly on New Orleans’ biggest weakness. The Pelicans can put points up, but the Knicks don’t need help to score, and they’re efficient enough that you can get separation without relying on a big turnover edge.
The one thing that keeps me from calling it automatic is the total. With a number like 243.5, you’re asking for sustained offense and a pretty clean pace script. New Orleans is capable of contributing, and its possessions-per-game profile supports a faster game, but if the Knicks get control early, that can shift into longer half-court possessions and fewer chaotic runouts. That’s often how big favorites play when they’re comfortable. It can still go over, but you’re paying for a best-case scoring environment.
If New Orleans is going to cover, it probably looks like this: they hit shots early, they keep the game in the 120s, and the Knicks never fully clamp down. I just don’t like betting on that when the Pelicans are allowing 122.6 points per game and missing key perimeter defense.
Best Bet: New York Knicks -8.5 (-112).
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NBA Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
The NBA season is long, and bettors who last are usually the ones who stay price-sensitive and don’t overreact to one result. Having a steady place to compare opinions and identify the best numbers on a slate matters, and that’s why checking today’s NBA picks is useful when you’re building a card instead of forcing one play.
It also helps to have team context in one hub, especially when you’re tracking form, matchup profiles, and where the market is drifting over a week or two. The NBA team pages make that process quicker.
And if you’re thinking beyond single-game bets, futures markets can move fast when a contender’s health or role stability shifts. Keeping tabs on NBA championship odds and predictions can help you see how the market is pricing the top of the league while you’re grinding nightly sides and totals.
