New York Knicks vs Golden State Warriors Prediction

New York Knicks vs Golden State Warriors Prediction comes before their NBA regular season clash on Wednesday, February 24th 2021, at Madison Square Garden.

Read my match preview for the correct score predictions and best betting tips ahead of this fixture.
 

New York Knicks vs Golden State Warriors Betting Tips

After saving their blushes in what proved Ryan Saunders' final game managing a dwindling Minnesota Timberwolves franchise, Tom Thibodeau's New York Knicks shot a lowly 33.3% from deep. They needed big plays from All-Star candidate Julius Randle and second-year SG RJ Barrett down the stretch to avoid an embarrassing comeback defeat. 

Up by 21 with 1:48 left in the third quarter and a 16-point lead to start the fourth, they shouldn't have found themselves in such a precarious situation. Karl-Anthony Towns scored eight of the T-Wolves' next eleven points as they cut a daunting deficit down to size - suddenly, it was only three with 7:50 to go. 

Both teams missed shots and wasted possessions over the next four minutes, though it was their stars who took over in clutch time: Towns, Barrett and Randle, who looks set for his first All-Star berth aged 26 when the reserves are announced overnight. 

He's posted career-highs in points (23.2), rebounds (11), assists (5.5) and minutes (36.8) through New York's encouraging 15-16 start before the Warriors come to town tonight. The PF is also shooting 41% from the three-point range, a big jump from the 29.5% he averaged from deep across his first six NBA seasons.

For context, the only other players averaging at least 23-11-5 this season are reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and another MVP candidate in Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic.

It'll be interesting to see how Golden State fare after a heartbreaking 102-100 defeat by the returning Charlotte Hornets last time out, their second defeat in as many days after a narrow road loss to Orlando.

Stephen Curry (illness) went through warm-ups but was a late scratch from the line-up after becoming ill, much to the surprise of his father Dell – a broadcaster for the Hornets – who said on air: "Want me to send a text to his phone?" Well, his absence didn’t stop them in their tracks, albeit until a frenzied final minute with action aplenty.

They still almost won without their leading point scorer (29.9 PPG, 48.6 FG%), but Draymond Green's two technical fouls and subsequent ejection proved costly as Terry Rozier hit an off-balance jumper to sink their visitors in style. 

Curry is listed as day-to-day on the injury report but, according to ESPN, is expected back - something head coach Steve Kerr echoed post-game. 

New York Knicks vs Golden State Warriors Correct Score Prediction

ESPN's BPI is firmly backing the Warriors to prevail here (67.6%), which makes sense if - and only if - Curry can feature from the start.

Kelly Oubre Jr led them in scoring (25 pts, four 3 PM) while four others were in double figures, and you could fairly argue they would've beaten the Hornets had Green kept his cool after a dubious jumpball call by the officials.

Randle and co will be energised to work collectively towards another morale-boosting result as they welcome back fans, though, so this could be interesting.