NBA Best Bets for January 7: Clippers vs Knicks Odds and Top Picks

The New York Knicks have lost four straight games while the Los Angeles Clippers have won seven of their past 10 contests. The seems like a mismatch. Fortunately, the Knicks are at home on Wednesday night.

Playing at Madison Square Garden has been very kind to New York in 2025-26. Will it be again on this night for the Clippers vs Knicks bets?

(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

Distant Early Trends For Clippers vs Knicks Bets

• New York Knicks are 4-6 in their last 10 with losses in four straight.
• Los Angeles Clippers are 7-3 in their previous 10 with a win in their last game.
• New York is 15-4 at home while Los Angeles is 4-13 away from home.
• The Knicks are 19-18 ATS while the Clippers are 15-20.
• New York has given up 130+ points in three of their last four games.

The numbers are very scary heading into this matchup. New York was smoked by Detroit on Monday night 121-90. Some believe the recent New York downturn started with a late collapse against the San Antonio Spurs on New Year's Eve. Julian Champagnie dropped 36 points and survived a Victor Wembanyama injury scare to win 134-132.

Since then, it has been all downhill for the Knicks

Also, New York will be without Josh Hart and Landry Shamet. Two glue guys who do not start but play vital minutes could be less than ideal. After a 31 point drubbing at the hands of the Detroit Pistons (27-9, 1st in the East), the Knicks just want to get on the court at this point.

The Clippers are probably still sellers with the NBA Trade Deadline a month away. However, they have won seven of their last eight to sit 2.5 games out of a play-in spot.

With stars like Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, what does management ultimately decide? Injuries have frequented Los Angeles with Harden sitting out this week against the Warriors with a shoulder issue.

Clippers vs Knicks bets try to dive into the paint and stick that mid-range jumper.

All odds I listed are sourced from DraftKings Sportsbook.

Los Angeles Clippers vs New York Knicks Odds

• The Knicks are a 5.5 alternate point favorite on Wednesday night (+101 via DraftKings)
• New York's moneyline has moved to -205 with some shifts expected
• The game total stands at 224.5 points

One of the storylines to watch will be the status of James Harden. Does he play on Wednesday night? With load management always a factor, that can make this game a little more challenging to gauge. Clippers vs Knicks bets get more complex with the Knicks' recent struggles.

New York shot 43% at home in their last home game - a loss to Philadelphia 130-119. Worse, New York got blown out against Detroit but made 43% of their three-point attempts and 42% overall.

Meanwhile, the Clippers road a wave of interesting foul calls to an unlikely win over the Golden State Warriors

Kawhi Leonard had 24 points and 12 rebounds in the victory. It is no secret that Leonard loves the big games. Leonard has two 40+ point games in his last five including 55 against the Detroit Pistons on December 28th.

The problem with the Clippers is simple. It is like a game of Chutes and Ladders. They can win a bunch of games then lose a bunch all in one month. Bettors and pundits might forget that the Clippers had a couple of five game losing streaks before this run. The NBA has been like this all season. Think of a roller coaster.

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Clippers vs Knicks Bets - On The Spread

• Pick: Take the Knicks giving up 5.5 points (+101)

Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby have watched their lead over the Boston Celtics melt away. The Knicks are now looking up in the Atlantic Division. Mike Brown has seen his team dip in offensive rating from second to fourth since the NBA Cup. While thoughts of an NBA Cup curse creep into some heads, it should not here.

Again, New York is 15-4 at home and two straight MSG defeats sting but should make for a resolute effort on Wednesday.

Again, the Clippers are banged up and the older team here. Leonard is almost 35 years old now and Harden, if he plays is 36. Los Angeles does not attempt a lot of shots (30th in the league). Consequently, their road pace always gives them trouble.

That is a big reason why they have lost 13 0f 17 on the road in 2025-26

Derrick Jones Jr. had a nice effort against Boston with 19 points but sprained his knee (MCL) and will be out six weeks. That only causes for more matchup issues for the Clippers.

New York just has to knock down their shots because there will be chances. The Knicks average 90.8 attempts per game (8th in the NBA). Yes, at MSG, New York plays at a different pace. It gets more frenetic and always has. "The Mecca" is just that way. This game sets up well for New York to get back on the winning track. Clippers vs Knicks bets believe New York could win this contest by double digits very easily.

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The Team Total Favors The Over

• Pick: New York Knicks over 114.5 points (-107 via DraftKings)

When it comes to the Clippers vs Knicks bets, maybe one should not look at the game in Detroit ever again. One could attempt to add in the game total of 224.5 here as Knicks games have gone over that mark 23 of 36 times this season. However, the team total for New York is a safer wager. If New York scores 115 points or more, it is almost automatically a win. The Knicks are 18-5 in 2025-26 when they do this.

Again, a few simple trends favor the Knicks here

The Clippers coming this far east is a big one. New York averages just over 120 points a game at MSG and hit 119 in their recent loss to Philadelphia. The word of the day, err night, is offense. New York needs to wear down a Clippers team again beset by injuries and age. Anything less will result in another disastrous defeat.

A Last Option Or Two For The Road

Some other picks consider the Knicks' ability to get off to a fast start. That is what New York seeks on Wednesday night. So, the Knicks are favored by 1.5 points in the first quarter. Again, this rolls in around the -108 to -110 range.

However, if one likes to up the tempo err risk, the alternate line of 2.5 remains around +110 (+111 currently). For perspective, the winning 3-way margin for the opening quarter has the Knicks to win by 3+ points at only +105.

Finally, watch the status of James Harden and any last minute shifts for inactives. Good luck tonight!