Knicks vs. Pelicans Odds & Betting Predictions - December 22, 2024

The Knicks face off against the Pelicans who are starting to get some of their players back from injury. The key here is the Pelicans allow the third-most assists per game to their opponents. So while the individual defensive players are strong between Murphy, Herb Jones, and Dejounte, the team defense is susceptible. They have been getting cooked on the interior with just rookie Yves Missi playing the majority of the minutes at the 5, and while I like KAT here, the line is a bit high for me. The player that sets KAT up though? Sign me up. Brunson is averaging 7.7 assists per game on 12.3 potentials. In the one matchup with KAT against the Pelicans, Brunson converted for 9 assists in just 27 minutes due to a Knicks blowout. Considering the Pelicans have the fourth-worst Adjusted Defense in the league and allow a plethora of assists to their opponents, I’ll back Brunson, the clear head of the snake to set up his teammates.