Houston Rockets vs New York Knicks

This NBA matchup features Houston Rockets (34-20 (18-7)) traveling to take on New York Knicks (35-21 (21-8)) at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY. These two teams are closely matched, with both squads posting similar scoring differentials this season. This projects as a competitive contest that could go either way. On offense, Knicks averages 117.9 points per game, which exceeds what the Rockets defense typically allows (109.5 PPG). That mismatch could give the home side opportunities to exploit. The Rockets offense puts up 114.5 PPG and faces a Knicks defense allowing 112.1 PPG. The visitors have the offensive firepower to stay in this one. Home court advantage is worth approximately 3.0 points in NBA, and Knicks will look to leverage their home crowd. Our model projects Knicks to win by approximately 4.3 points. Our model aligns closely with the market on this one, suggesting the oddsmakers have priced this game efficiently. Look for small edges in the total and moneyline markets to capitalize on any remaining value.

Knicks enters at 35-21 (21-8), hovering around the .500 mark. They've shown flashes of strong play but haven't been able to sustain consistency. At home, they'll look to put together a complete performance and build momentum. Rockets sits at 34-20 (18-7) on the season. They've been competitive in most outings but have had their share of inconsistent performances. On the road, they'll need to bring their best effort to come away with a win. When these teams meet, the home team typically has the edge given the crowd advantage and familiarity factor. The team that controls tempo and limits turnovers will likely dictate the outcome of this matchup.