New York Knicks vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction & Props - 12/29/2025
Updated December 29, 2025
Updated December 29, 2025
With the New York Knicks (22-9) visiting the New Orleans Pelicans (8-25) on Monday night, New York is a convincing favorite on the road. The Knicks enter this game riding a two-game winning streak and sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference. The Pelicans have struggled to maintain consistency, sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference and facing an uphill climb in this game as well. Here, I break down this inter-conference matchup and give you my Knicks vs Pelicans prediction.
Pick: | Knicks -8.5 |
Confidence: | 4/5 |
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The Knicks are one of the NBA’s more efficient squads, ranking near the top of the league in scoring output while maintaining solid defensive metrics as well. New York’s rebounding edge and 3-point efficiency have helped them close out tight games, including a thrilling rally against Cleveland on Christmas and a road win over the Atlanta Hawks in their last outing. However, New York’s injury list remains concerning with Josh Hart, Landry Shamet, and Mitchell Robinson all listed as out for this contest.
New Orleans enters this game on a three-game losing streak, with defensive flaws glaring across recent outings. The Pelicans’ defensive efficiency is among the league’s worst, and recent suspensions mean guard Jose Alvarado will miss this contest, further thinning their toughness and roster depth. Trey Murphy III continues to lead the Pelicans in scoring, yet the absence of consistent scoring threats and weak perimeter shooting around him have compromised New Orleans’ ability to stay competitive.
Player | Prop to Watch |
|---|---|
Jalen Brunson | Over 28.5 Points |
Karl-Anthony Towns | Over 12.5 Rebounds |
Trey Murphy III | Over 19.5 Points |
Score Projection: Knicks 124 – Pelicans 113
Win Probability: Knicks 78%, Pelicans 22%
The Knicks should be able to get a third win in a row by beating up on the Pelicans on Monday night. While New York is dealing with some injury concerns, the Pelicans are dealing with some key absences of their own that will prevent them from taking advantage of the absences of Hart and Robinson. I'll lay the points with New York on the road in this matchup.
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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