After a seven-year drought, the New York Knicks returned to the playoffs last season for the first time since 2013. They went six straight years finishing outside the Top 10 in the Eastern Conference, but they turned things around and finished with home-court advantage as the No. 4 seed.
Even though fans were disappointed after to see the Knicks get bounced in the first round by the Atlanta Hawks, there’s still a lot to be excited about.
For one thing, New York had an eventful offseason. Although they lost Reggie Bullock and Elfrid Payton to free agency, the Knicks signed Kemba Walker and Dwayne Bacon and traded for Evan Fournier and the draft rights to Quentin Grimes.
The hype surrounding the Knicks hasn’t been this big since Carmelo Anthony was with the team. RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and Obi Toppin are developing into young stars that should make a significant impact, and Julius Randle looks like a perennial All-Star.
With the future of New York looking bright, let’s take a look at our 2021 Knicks predictions.
Sportsbook Play of the Day
Looking to make some 2021 Knicks futures bets? BetMGM is one of our favorite sportsbooks for New York Knicks bets. We’re excited to let you know about their welcome offer: a fantastic $1,000 bonus bets welcome for new signups who join using our promo code .
Read Anthony Cervino’s BetMGM Sportsbook review for more insight and get your welcome bonus below, or continue reading our 2021 Knicks predictions.
Knicks Win Total Prediction 2021-2022
Knicks Over 41.5 Wins (-110) at PointsBet
Knicks fans have waited a long time for their team to have a winning record, and they did so last year by going 41-31. Since then, the team has only gotten better with the additions of Walker and Fournier, so the winning is sure to continue.
All around, the roster is strong. The projected starting lineup of Walker, Fournier, Barrett, Randle, and Mitchell Robinson looks like one of the top lineups in the East. The Knicks also have a deep bench with Quickley, Toppin, Bacon, Derrick Rose, Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel, and Taj Gibson.
Did I just name the Knicks’ entire rotation? Yes, but all of those players will have a significant impact on New York’s success.
Knicks Win Total Pick 2021-2022: Over
In a 72-game season last year, the Knicks had 41 wins, a game shy of hitting the over. If the Knicks play just as well as they did last year, with the addition of 10 more games, they’ll easily hit the over.
They’re a much better team heading into this year, so 42 wins should be no problem, making this our NBA bet of the day.
Knicks Make NBA Playoffs Prediction 2021-2022
Knicks To Make Playoffs (-150) at BetMGM
The Knicks made major strides under the reigning Coach of the Year Tom Thibodeau. Although they struggled offensively, New York was one of the best teams in the league on defense. They led the league in points per game allowed, opponent field goal percentage, and opponent three-point percentage.
With key offseason additions, the Knicks have only gotten better, and their deep bench certainly helps that.
Knicks Make NBA Playoffs Pick 2021-2022: Yes
New York was the No. 4 seed in the East last year and showed the league that playoff basketball deserves to be played in Madison Square Garden.
A new era of Knicks basketball is underway, and I don’t see them missing the playoffs again for a long time.
Knicks To Win NBA Championship Prediction 2021-2022
Knicks To Win NBA Championship (+8000) at BetMGM
The Knicks will be good next year, but they aren’t going to be THAT good. They’ll make the playoffs, but there won’t be any victory parades in Manhattan.
Yes, the Knicks have become a better team, but the rest of the Eastern Conference improved with them. The conference is going to be much more competitive than we’ve seen in recent years.
A lot of things need to happen in the Knicks’ favor for them just to even make it to the NBA Finals. Then, if New York gets there, they’ll have to take on the Western Conference’s best team. The odds don’t look great for them.
Knicks NBA Championship Pick 2021-2022: No
They’ll win a playoff series; they might get lucky enough to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, this year is not New York’s year.
- Read our full 2021-22 NBA Championship Odds & Predictions.
Coming off of a knee injury, can Kemba Walker return to All-Star form and help the New York Knicks return to the NBA playoffs? (Image: USA TODAY Sports)
Knicks & Player Prop Predictions
Julius Randle to Win NBA MVP Award (+8000) at PointsBet
For a while last season, Randle was considered a dark horse MVP candidate, and rightfully so. Among qualifying players, Randle ranked in the top 20 in points per game (26.1), rebounds per game (10.2), and assists (6.0), along with leading the league in minutes per game (37.6).
Randle averaged a double-double for the second time in his career last season and was also named to his first All-Star team. This is a long shot considering the other talent ahead of him, but if this hits, the payout will be huge.
- Read our full 2021-22 NBA MVP Odds & Predictions.
Derrick Rose to Win NBA Sixth Man Of The Year Award (+1800) at DraftKings
What a career it has been for Derrick Rose up until this point. He became the youngest MVP in NBA history at 22 years old and was on the fast track to becoming one of the best players in the league, only to have four knee surgeries by age 27.
However, Rose took the adversity head-on and turned his career around as a microwave scorer off the bench.
After being traded to the Knicks last season, Rose played a key role in their run to the playoffs. With the arrival of Walker, Rose will be the top option for Thibodeau off the bench.
The 33-year-old Rose still has plenty of basketball left in the tank.
Thanks for reading our 2021 Knicks Best Bets & Predictions! For more NBA betting tips, check out our NBA gameday odds.
