The San Antonio Spurs (18-7) and New York Knicks (18-7) will face off in the NBA Cup Finals tonight. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The game will broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video.
The Knicks are 2.5-point favorites over the Spurs on the spread (Knicks -2.5), with the over/under set at 233.5 total points. New York is a -142 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while San Antonio is +120 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Spurs vs. Knicks predictions and my NBA Cup Finals picks for Tuesday, December 16.
My Spurs vs Knicks Prediction
- Spurs vs Knicks pick: Spurs Moneyline (+120)
My Knicks vs. Spurs best bet is on San Antonio moneyline, with the best price currently available at DraftKings. However, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Spurs vs Knicks Odds
| Spurs Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -105 | 233.5 -115o / -105u | +120 |
| Knicks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -115 | 233.5 -115o / -105u | -142 |
Spurs vs Knicks NBA Cup Finals Preview
All eyes in the NBA world will be in Las Vegas as the Knicks take on the Spurs in the NBA Cup Finals.
In the Eastern Conference Semifinal, the Knicks defeated the Magic 132-120, as Jalen Brunson led the way with 40 points and eight assists.
It was Brunson's fourth straight game with 30 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns (29 points) and OG Anunoby (24 points) both went over 20 points as well.
Meanwhile, the Spurs snapped the Thunder's 16-game winning streak with a 111-109 victory in the Western Conference Semifinal.
With Wembanyama expected back, I was leery of the Thunder as a double-digit favorite and went with the under instead.
Wembanyama was expected to play limited minutes and did not start, but he still had a significant impact on the game. In just 21 minutes, he had 22 points, nine rebounds, two blocks and was a +21 in a game his team won by just two points.
He also has dominated in his last two games against the Knicks, with 40 points and 20 rebounds, and 42 points and 18 rebounds last Christmas.
He may not play enough minutes tonight to record one of those stat lines, but I do expect him to find success once again.
Against the Thunder, Wembanyama was one of four Spurs with 20 points along with De'Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, and Stephon Castle.
The Knicks are giving up over 46 points per game to guards, so that trio can find success once again. Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane just combined for 44 points against them despite Jalen Suggs leaving early with an injury.
I would also expect Dylan Harper to bounce back off the bench. He went 3-for-13 from the field and finished with just eight points on Saturday against the league's best defense.
Spurs vs Knicks Prediction, Betting Analysis
Whether Wembanyama starts tonight will be an interesting subplot for this game.
The Knicks could take an early lead as the Thunder did, but it may also force Mike Brown to alter his rotation a bit with Towns to match Wembanyama's minutes.
The Spurs already have the better bench in this game, as they rank eighth in bench scoring at 39.2 points per game. Their second unit could give them a major advantage in this game if flanked by Wembanyama.
The Knicks are second in defensive rating over their last 10 games and have moved ahead of the Spurs in the category for the season.
However, with Wembanyama back, the Spurs are the better defensive team in this game.
Additionally, if this game is close — which the spread indicates — the Spurs may have the advantage there as well.
In clutch time, the Spurs are second in offensive rating and fourth in net rating, while the Knicks are last in offensive rating and 26th in net rating.
Considering these factors, I see value in the Spurs on the moneyline.
I expect Wembanyama and Fox to lead the way. Wembanyama has recorded 60 points and rebounds in his last two games against the Knicks.
While he may not have the minutes to get there again, he has recorded 30 PR or more in six of his last 10 games when playing under 30 minutes, including on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Fox scored 20 points in two of his previous three games against the Knicks while with the Kings.
Last Christmas, Mikal Bridges essentially matched Wembanyama's scoring with 41 points as the Knicks won by three.
He typically scores in the teens, but he enters tonight's game with 15 points in six of his last 10 games, averaging 16.6 per game.
Towns has averaged 23.6 points over his last 10 games and scored 53 points in two games against San Antonio last season. I will cap off this parlay by taking him for 20+ points tonight.
Pick: Spurs Moneyline (+120, DraftKings)
Spurs vs Knicks Parlay Picks
- Victor Wembanyama 30+ Points and Rebounds
- Karl-Anthony Towns 20+ Points
- De'Aaron Fox 20+ Points
- Mikal Bridges 15+ Points
Parlay Odds: +600 via DraftKings
Spread
I'm targeting the moneyline market instead of the spread in this spot.
Moneyline
My Knicks vs Spurs betting prediction is on San Antonio to win outright on the moneyline at +120.
Over/Under
No play on the total.
