The Los Angeles Lakers (29-18) and New York Knicks (30-18) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The game will broadcast live on NBC and Peacock.
The Knicks are 4.5-point favorites over the Lakers on the spread (Knicks -4.5), with the over/under set at 229.5 total points. New York is a -185 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Los Angeles is +154 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Lakers vs. Knicks predictions and NBA picks for Sunday, February 1.
Lakers vs Knicks Prediction, Picks
- Lakers vs Knicks pick: Knicks Moneyline (-185)
My Lakers vs Knicks best bet is on New York moneyline at -185, but make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Lakers vs Knicks Odds
| Lakers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -110 | 229.5 -110o / -110u | +154 |
| Knicks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -110 | 229.5 -110o / -110u | -185 |
Lakers vs Knicks NBA Preview
The NBA moneyline betting system titled "Undervalued vs. Bad Defense (SEASON)" identifies NBA regular season matchups where efficient but undervalued teams face opponents with poor defensive metrics — and that appears to be the situation with the Knicks set to host the Lakers tonight.
When a team's underlying performance indicators, such as Pythagorean strength, exceed public perception, the betting market often undervalues them against weak defensive opponents who allow high scoring efficiency, which may be the case for the Knicks in this spot.
In scenarios like these, the market can signal balance while still overlooking defensive shortcomings on the visiting side, which is the Lakers here.
Slight movement toward the undervalued side reinforces that bettors are slowly recognizing the edge, yet the market remains mispriced.
Lakers vs Knicks Predictions, Betting Analysis
Over recent seasons, this pattern has rewarded teams whose true performance levels are masked by variance while exploiting opponents that consistently fail to contain efficient offenses, creating a steady opportunity on the moneyline.
Overall, the system stands at 319-225-0 (59%) with a 4% ROI across all-time results. This season, it's 40-25-0 (62%) with an 11% ROI.
So, let's back the Knicks moneyline at -185 in tonight's matchup against the Lakers.
Pick: Knicks Moneyline (-185)
Spread
We will not be betting either side of the spread in this game.
Moneyline
Our Knicks vs Lakers betting prediction is on New York moneyline at -185.
Over/Under
No play on the total in this contest.
Knicks vs Lakers Betting Trends
