Knicks Host Rockets in High-Stakes NBA Showdown at Madison Square Garden

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. — The New York Knicks (32-17) will face the Houston Rockets (32-16) in a high-stakes interconference matchup at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, with both teams looking to bounce back from recent losses and solidify their playoff positioning.

The Knicks, led by standout point guard Jalen Brunson, are 7-3 in their last 10 games and boast a strong 17-9 home record. Brunson has been instrumental, averaging 25.7 points and 7.5 assists per game this season. Meanwhile, the Rockets, under head coach Ime Udoka, have been a surprise contender in the Western Conference, sitting in the No. 3 seed despite losing two straight games.

Houston will be without key players Jalen Green (hand) and Alperen Sengun (ankle), while the Knicks’ Julius Randle (foot) remains sidelined. The Rockets won the teams’ first meeting this season, 109-97, on Nov. 4, but New York has historically dominated the matchup, winning eight of the last 10 games.

According to the SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, the model predicts the game will go under the total points line of 224, projecting 221 combined points. The model also indicates one side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations.

Brunson’s recent performances have been a bright spot for the Knicks, including a 30-point, 15-assist effort in a win over the Brooklyn Nets last week. For the Rockets, Fred VanVleet has been a steady presence, averaging 21.5 points and 4.3 assists per game. The matchup between Brunson and VanVleet is expected to be a key factor in the game’s outcome.

Fans can catch the game live on Fubo, with regional restrictions potentially applying. The Knicks are 6.5-point favorites, with the money line set at -249 for New York and +203 for Houston.