New York Knicks vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction & Props – 12/29/2025

With the New York Knicks (22-9) visiting the New Orleans Pelicans (8-25) on Monday night, New York is a convincing favorite on the road. The Knicks enter this game riding a two-game winning streak and sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference. The Pelicans have struggled to maintain consistency, sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference and facing an uphill climb in this game as well. Here, I break down this inter-conference matchup and give you my Knicks vs Pelicans prediction.

Our Knicks vs Pelicans Pick

Game Snapshot

• Matchup: New York Knicks @ New Orleans Pelicans
• Date & Time: Monday, December 29, 2025, 8:00 PM ET
• Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Broadcast: NBA League Pass

Key Storylines

The Knicks are one of the NBA’s more efficient squads, ranking near the top of the league in scoring output while maintaining solid defensive metrics as well. New York’s rebounding edge and 3-point efficiency have helped them close out tight games, including a thrilling rally against Cleveland on Christmas and a road win over the Atlanta Hawks in their last outing. However, New York’s injury list remains concerning with Josh Hart, Landry Shamet, and Mitchell Robinson all listed as out for this contest.

New Orleans enters this game on a three-game losing streak, with defensive flaws glaring across recent outings. The Pelicans’ defensive efficiency is among the league’s worst, and recent suspensions mean guard Jose Alvarado will miss this contest, further thinning their toughness and roster depth. Trey Murphy III continues to lead the Pelicans in scoring, yet the absence of consistent scoring threats and weak perimeter shooting around him have compromised New Orleans’ ability to stay competitive.

Head-to-Head & Betting Trends

• This is the first of two games that the Knicks and Pelicans will play against each other this season.
• The Pelicans are 19-13-1 against the spread this season despite their poor straight up record.
• New York is 18-14 against the spread this season so far.
• The Pelicans are 19-14 to the over going into this matchup.
• The Knicks have gone over the total in 18 of their first 32 games.
• New York is 6-7 on the road this season.
• New Orleans enters this matchup with a home record of 6-14.

Best Player Props to Watch

Knicks vs Pelicans Model Projection

Final Thoughts

Jay Sanin

Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.