For the first time in a long time, there is genuine optimism surrounding the New York Knicks heading into the 2023-24 NBA season. The Knicks have made the playoffs twice in the last three years and reached the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season for the first time since 2013. Under coach Tom Thibodeau and a core of players like Jalen Brunson, R.J. Barrett, and Julius Randle, the Knicks look good on paper heading into the new season.
But do sportsbooks share in that optimism? Fans certainly feel as if there are reasons to get behind the Knicks. NY sports betting has been legal on mobile platforms since 2022, giving fans plenty of options for placing bets on the Knicks for the upcoming season. However, let’s take a closer look at some of the odds the Knicks are getting from sportsbooks and what that says about their chances during the 2023-24 season.
NBA Champion
The Knicks haven’t won an NBA title since 1973, and it looks like that drought will continue for at least another year. Most sportsbooks, including DraftKings, PointsBet, and Caesars are giving the Knicks +5000 odds to win the 2024 NBA title. While there is some value in betting on New York to make a surprising run, there are a dozen teams with shorter odds to win a championship this season. The Knicks would need to surpass expectations and get a lot of luck to bring home a title in 2024.
Eastern Conference Champion
If there is a silver lining for the Knicks, it’s that winning the Eastern Conference Finals is a little more realistic, even if a heavyweight from a loaded Western Conference would await them in the NBA Finals. DraftKings gives the Knicks +1800 odds to win the Eastern Conference while Caesars and PointsBet are a little more optimistic at +1600. But keep in mind that there are five other teams in the Eastern Conference with shorter odds to win the conference and reach the NBA Finals. That means the Knicks will have to pull off multiple upsets in the playoffs to get to the Finals.
Atlantic Division Winner
Unfortunately for the Knicks, they appear to be an afterthought in their own division. The Celtics are heavy favorites to win the Atlantic Division while the 76ers are considered their main contenders. As a result, the Knicks have the third-shortest odds to win their division. Caesars lists New York at +700 to win the Atlantic Division while PointsBet and DraftKings give the Knicks slightly longer odds at +750 and +800, respectively.
Wins
Perhaps the simplest bet to make on the Knicks this season is how many games they will win during the regular season. DraftKings has an over/under of 45.5 wins while Caesars is a little more optimistic with an over/under of 46.5 wins. That means optimists should go to DraftKings while pessimists will get more value at Caesars. The Knicks are coming off a season in which they won 47 games, so oddsmakers are expecting New York to show little or no improvement. Keep in mind that last season is the only time since the 2012-13 campaign that the Knicks won more than 41 games. The team’s only notable offseason addition was Donte DiVincenzo while the Knicks also traded away Obi Toppin. With mostly the same roster, the Knicks may not show much improvement from last season, which is why they remain unlikely to win their division or compete for an NBA title in 2024.
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