New York Knicks at Houston Rockets - 12/31/22 NBA Picks and Prediction

The Houston Rockets play host to the New York Knicks at the Toyota Center on Saturday night.

The New York Knicks have been in a real funk as they are now hoping to snap a five-game losing streak after falling short to the struggling Spurs in a 122-115 road loss on Thursday. Julius Randle led the team with 41 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, Immanuel Quickley added 36 points with seven rebounds and seven assists while Evan Fournier chipped in with 11 points, but no other player finished in double figures in scoring. As a team, the Knicks shot just 42 percent from the field and 15 of 41 from the 3-point line, but they weren’t at their usual standards on the defensive end and were always fighting an uphill battle after allowing 38 points in the first quarter to trail by double-digits for most of the game.

Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets have been in a real slump as they’ve lost seven of their past eight games and they will be hoping to snap a two-game skid after getting routed by the Mavericks in a 129-114 road loss on Thursday. Jalen Green led the team with 23 points, Kevin Porter Jr. added 17 points with seven assists while Jabari Smith Jr chipped in with 16 points on seven of 13 shooting. As a team, the Rockets shot 44 percent from the field and 12 of 34 from the 3-point line, but they had no answer for the Mavericks’ starters who torched them for 65 points in the first half to put them behind by as many as 25 points before they made a rally in the fourth quarter to keep the final scores somewhat respectable.