:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71796612/1446524933.0.jpg "NBA picks: Knicks vs. Mavericks prediction, odds, over/under, spread, injury report")
The New York Knicks (18-16) will travel to face Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks (18-16) on Tuesday night with tipoff set for 8:30 p.m. ET from American Airlines Center. The Knicks sit in sixth place in the East and the Mavericks are in seventh place in the West heading into this game.
New York will be without Obi Toppin (leg), while Jalen Brunson (hip) is questionable ahead of tonight's game. The Mavs will be missing Dorian Finney-Smith (hip), Josh Green (elbow), and Maxi Kleber (hamstring) while Kemba Walker (knee) and Frank Ntilikina (knee) are both listed as questionable.
The Mavericks are 4.5-point favorites at home tonight, priced at -200 on the moneyline with the Knicks at +170. The point total is set at 219 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Knicks vs. Mavericks, 8:30 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Mavericks -4.5
The Mavs are one of the league's best teams at home, boasting a 13-5 record at American Airlines Center so far this season. The Knicks have been a solid road team, going 10-6 away from home, but Dallas has only lost one of its last four home games as it has found some solid form.
Doncic has been averaging 32.8 points per game this season, good for the second-best mark in the league, just behind Philadelphia's Joel Embiid. Doncic had a huge 50-point performance against the Rockets last Friday. He followed that up with 32 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists in a win over the Lakers on Christmas Day.
If Brunson can't suit up for the Knicks, their offense will suffer as the Mavericks will look to take advantage of that and cruise to another home win. Dallas won the first meeting between these two on December 3 with a 121-100 win at Madison Square Garden. Take the Mavericks to win and cover at home.
Over/Under: Over 219
The Mavericks are 11-7 to the over at home this season while the over is just 5-10-1 on the road for the Knicks. New York finished over the total in its last four games, but all four were at home and featured Brunson on the court. Regardless, expect the Dallas offense to help push this one over the total as the Mavericks have a knack for high-scoring games at home this season.