New York Knicks vs Washington Wizards Prediction

New York Knicks vs Washington Wizards Prediction comes ahead of their NBA regular season clash on Friday, March 25th 2021, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Read my match preview for the correct score predictions and best betting tips ahead of this fixture.

New York Knicks vs Washington Wizards Preview

If quizzed in pre-season on how teams would fare through 40-45 games this term, you'd probably have the Wizards and Knicks switching records. 

Tom Thibodeau's men improved their home record to 13-8 with a 131-113 win overnight as first-time All-Star PF Julius Randle took charge with 37 points - including seven threes - while RJ Barrett (21 pts), Alec Burks (20 pts) and Mitchell Robinson's double-double (16 pts, 12 rebs, three blocks) were decisive. 

Bradley Beal is averaging career-highs in points (31.8), rebounds (5.1), FT% (90.2) and FG% (48.8), but between him and perennial All-Star backcourt partner Russell Westbrook, could only combine for 36 points (9-of-29).

The duo was scoreless from the three-point range, and half of their 36 was from the free-throw line, which is far from an ideal tally against a Knicks team who allow just 104.8 points per game against them on average this term.

Randle is shooting a career-high 42.8% from three this season, though the seven-year pro had only scored five or more three-pointers in a game twice before this matchup – so expect a production drop-off here.

New York Knicks vs Washington Wizards Betting Tips 

ESPN's BPI shares my view, and this should be a more competitive clash down the stretch than their meeting overnight, one essentially over by half-time considering the sheer contrast in the collective shooting. 

The Knicks are narrow favourites (52.4%) despite missing keyguards in Austin Rivers (personal) and Derrick Rose (COVID-19), who average a combined 20 points and 6.5 assists this term, an x-factor somewhat balanced out by Davis Bertans' calf injury amid trade speculation over the Latvian's future in Washington.