All eyes are on LeBron James and a possible Madison Square Garden finale when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the New York Knicks tonight.
However, New York isn’t going to let “The King” steal the show, especially not All-Star guard Jalen Brunson.
My Lakers vs. Knicks predictions see potential in Brunson’s playmaking, featuring buyback value on his assist prop.
Here are my best NBA picks for Sunday, February 1, with tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. ET on NBC.
Lakers vs Knicks prediction
Lakers vs Knicks best bet: Jalen Brunson Over 5.5 assists (-120)
Jalen Brunson’s passing prowess has slimmed over the past month.
After averaging around seven assists through November and December, the New York Knicks guard dished out just 4.4 dimes per game in January and closed out the month by finishing Under his total in seven straight.
Brunson’s potential assists went from 11.7 per game to 8.0 in those seven outings, with Brunson converting only half of those chances for 4.0 assists.
Brunson has failed to record more than six dimes in a game during that stretch, and that’s pulled his assist market down to 5.5 O/U.
Tonight’s tilt with the Los Angeles Lakers offers a good spot to buy back the Over, considering the Lakers allow the sixth most assists per game on the season, with that metric spiking to 30.3 over the past three contests. L.A. also gives up a high assist-to-FGM rate, especially on the road (65.6%).
Brunson is a handful for any defender, but the Lakers don’t have anyone who can hang with the mighty guard when he wants to attack the paint.
Luka Doncic and Rui Hachimura are below-average defenders, and Austin Reaves, who is questionable, has been sidelined with a calf injury since Christmas.
New York’s offense thrives on spot-up shooting, and Brunson’s dribble penetration will draw help defenders and gift wing shooters with extra space on those kickout passes.
Despite his dip in assists, his projections vs. L.A. remain positive. His assist tally ranges from 6.0 to 7.4 dimes tonight, with my number at 6.6. That should have the Over 5.5 assists priced around -170.
Lakers vs Knicks same-game parlay
New York is riding a five-game winning streak and has covered in each of those games.
Mikal Bridges benefits from Brunson’s playmaking, with projections north of 16 points.
Lakers vs Knicks SGP
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Jalen Brunson Over 5.5 assists
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Mikal Bridges Over 15.5 points
Our “from downtown” SGP: The MSG SGP
Karl-Anthony Towns averages 1.8 triples per game inside MSG.
Lakers vs Knicks SGP
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Jalen Brunson Over 5.5 assists
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Mikal Bridges Over 15.5 points
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Karl-Anthony Towns Over 1.5 threes
Lakers vs Knicks odds
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Spread: Lakers +4.5 (-105) | Knicks -4.5 (-115)
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Moneyline: Lakers +160 | Knicks -190
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Over/Under: Over 229.5 (-105) | Under 229.5 (-115)
Lakers vs Knicks betting trend to know
New York is 6-2 SU and ATS when hosting Western Conference foes. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Knicks.
How to watch Lakers vs Knicks
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Location |
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY |
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Date |
Sunday, February 1, 2026 |
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Tip-off |
7:00 p.m. ET |
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TV |
NBC |
Lakers vs Knicks latest injuries
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
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