by Ben Perks
The New Orleans Pelicans face the New York Knicks on the road on January 20 at 19:30 ET. Both NBA franchises are looking to end their two-game losing streaks, with the Knicks falling below .500 and the Pelicans being 12 games away from breaking even. Get pregame insights and the latest betting lines for this clash at Madison Square Garden.
Online sportsbooks have the New York Knicks as -165 favorites on the moneyline. Victory for the Knicks will keep their playoff charge ticking along, while a loss for the Pelicans will see them fall further into the draft lottery race to the bottom.
New Orleans Pelicans: Pregame Insights
Zion Williamson being ruled out indefinitely for this season has been a significant blow for the Pelicans.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has tried to step up the plate and has shown his quality on occasions. However, he’s been inconsistent and has failed to put up impressive numbers. Alexander-Walker is currently averaging 12.6 points per game, but he is only shooting 37.1% from the field and 31.3% from deep.
Brandon Ingram has given Pelicans fans something to smile about by putting up averages of 22.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. Yet he hasn’t been the most efficient – he is only shooting 44.3% from the field and 34.1% from long range. Still, Ingram is the only source of consistent scoring for New Orleans.
Despite the lack of firepower, the Pelicans have beaten some quality opponents this season. The problem lies in their inconsistency, making them a bit of a nightmare for NBA bettors. Brandon Ingram gives the Pelicans hope for tonight’s game, but he’s only one man. Currently, the team is a few players short from real contention. This season is all but over for the Pelicans. But because they know how to upset the odds, you can’t rule them out against the Knicks.
New York Knicks: Pregame Insights
Many expect Tom Thibodeau’s team to come into this game with a desire to get back to .500 in front of their home crowd. However, due to the up-and-down nature of the Pelican’s recent performances, it could be a tough challenge for the Knicks.
After adding Kemba Walker to their lineup, New York had high hopes for this season, resulting in many futures bettors placing action on them to win the title. Yet, it hasn’t gone to plan. The Knicks have struggled at both ends of the court. Thibodeau even had to take Walker out of rotation because of his poor defense and lack of offensive input. Julius Randle’s displays in most games have been disappointing after breaking out last season.
The 27-year-old is averaging 22.7 points, a drop from 23.8 last year. Also, his field goal percentage has dropped from 46.6% to 44.3%, his three-point shooting percentage has fallen from 38.1% to 34.1%, and his free throw shooting percentage has gone from 87.8% to 82.1%. R.J. Barrett is also having a below-par season. His scoring has fallen from 17.6 to 16.9 points per game, field-goal shooting from 44.1% to 41.5%, three-point shooting from 40.1% to 35.4%, and he’s gone from 74.6% to 69% at the free-throw line.
Yet, despite not putting up the numbers like last season, New York has three key players compared to the New Orleans’ one. Therefore, the Knicks should end their losing streak on Thursday night.
View the results and schedule for the 2021-22 NBA season.
Head-to-Head Record – New Orleans Pelicans vs. New York Knicks
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-30-2021 | New Orleans Pelicans | 117-123 | New York Knicks |
| 04-18-2021 | New York Knicks | 122-112 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 04-16-2021 | New Orleans Pelicans/td> | 106-116 | New York Knicks |
| 10-01-2020 | New York Knicks | 111-123 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 11-23-2018 | New York Knicks | 114-109 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 11-16-2018 | New Orleans Pelicans | 129-124 | New York Knicks |
Check out the latest odds for NBA Games this week.
Ben is a sports journalist & part-time trader with a passion for finding +EV bets. Ben lives in Madrid, Spain where he enjoys the live poker scene, and sunshine where he covers UFC, MLB, NHL, NBA, as well as tennis betting.
