Sean Barnard details his preview and prediction for Sunday’s matchup between the Washington Wizards and New York Knicks.

Even with the NCAA Tournament taking center stage of the basketball world, the NBA continues on. Tipping off as part of today’s five-game slate, the Washington Wizards will face off with the New York Knicks.

This will be the third and final matchup between these two Eastern Conference opponents this season. The Knicks have picked up victories in both matchups thus far. On November 3rd, the Knicks secured a 119-102 win, and they defeated the Wizards 132-101 in their most recent matchup on February 3rd.

Looking at the odds for tonight, the Knicks enter as 21.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Wizards hold +1400 odds of getting the outright victory, with the game total set at 227.5.

Let’s dive into a preview and prediction for the Sunday night matchup.

Wizards vs. Knicks Preview

The Washington Wizards are limping to the finish line this season, sitting in 14th place in the Eastern Conference with a 16-54 overall record. They enter this matchup looking to snap a 15-game losing streak, with Washington’s last win coming on February 20th against the Pacers. On the season, the Wizards are 30-40 against the spread, and the game total has gone over in 39 of their 70 games played.

Tonight marks the second night of a back-to-back for the Wizards after losing to the Thunder last night. Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Kyshawn George, Cam Whitmore, and D’Angelo Russell all remain sidelined, while Tre Johnson, Alex Sarr, and Leaky Black have been ruled out for tonight. Justin Champagnie was also ejected from yesterday’s loss to the Thunder, along with three Oklahoma City players, and is likely awaiting a phone call from the league after the skirmish. Jaden Hardy, Bilal Coulibaly, Will Riley, and Anthony Gill will be expected to carry the majority of the production.

As a team, the Wizards are averaging 112.5 points per game, which ranks 25th in the country. Washington also ranks 27th in offensive rating, 22nd in field goal percentage, and 15th in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 123.8 points per game against the Wizards, which ranks 29th in the NBA. Washington also ranks last in defensive rating, 25th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 22nd in opponents’ three-point percentage.

The New York Knicks sit third in the Eastern Conference with a 46-25 record on the year. They enter this matchup on a five-game winning streak and a rest advantage after last playing on Friday. On the season, the Knicks are 38-34 against the spread, and the game total is 34-38 to the over/under.

Myles McBride and Landry Shamet will miss tonight’s matchup, while Josh Hart, Tyler Kolek, and Arel Hukporti are questionable. Jalen Brunson headlines the production for the team, posting averages of 26.2 points and 6.6 assists per game. Karl-Anthony Towns adds 20.1 points and a team-high 11.9 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby each produce at the wing positions. Mitchell Robinson has proven to be a valuable weapon rebounding the basketball, while Jose Alvarado and Jeremy Sochan are midseason additions who have provided them with a different look.

The Knicks are averaging 116.8 points per game, which ranks 10th in the NBA. They also rank third in offensive rating, 12th in field goal percentage, and fifth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 110.3 points per game against the Knicks, which is the fifth-fewest points per game in the league. New York also ranks fifth in defensive rating, fifth in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 18th in opponents’ three-point percentage.

Wizards vs. Knicks Prediction, Best Bet

These are two teams trending in opposite directions and with different goals for the remainder of the year. Washington made some interesting midseason decisions to lay the groundwork for a significant leap next year with the trade for Trae Young and Anthony Davis. However, they are completely content allowing the young players to play through their mistakes and giving themselves another chance in the lottery for the remainder of this year. In contrast, the Knicks have legitimate championship aspirations and are looking to find their full stride with the regular season winding down.

There is no argument about the Wizards being the better team, and the Knicks should have no trouble in this matchup. My lean is toward the Knicks taking care of business and covering the 21.5-point spread. However, my best bet is for the game total to go over the 227.5 line.

The game total finished at 233 in the previous matchup between these two teams, even with the Wizards’ offense greatly struggling in the blowout. Expect the porous Washington defense to pave the way to another monstrous scoring total for the Knicks. New York has scored 120+ points in 27 games this season, while the Wizards have conceded 120+ in 43 of their 70 games played. This includes seven of their last nine games played.

This is a get-right spot for the Knicks that I expect them to take full advantage of with an impressive offensive output. While their five-game winning streak remains intact, they were limited to 93 points in the previous win over the Nets. New York shot just 41% from the field and 28% on three-point attempts. Each of these efficiency splits falls in their nine worst performances of the season.

Facing the worst-ranked defense in the league and due for some positive shooting regression, expect the Knicks to pour on points tonight. Washington still has enough young talent that is fighting for their future roles that the effort will still be in full swing. They lack the talent to truly compete, but will leave it all on the floor and have enough of an offensive spark to reach this number. The game total has gone over in nine of the Wizards’ last 12 games, and expect New York to be ready to deliver the necessary offensive punch to clear this bar again tonight.

Best Bet: Game Total Over 227.5 (-110)