Knicks vs. Rockets Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Tuesday, March 31

The New York Knicks’ quest for a top-two seed in the Eastern Conference took a major hit over the weekend, as they lost on Thursday night to the Charlotte Hornets and on Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

New York’s road struggles are a real issue, as it enters Sunday’s meeting with the Houston Rockets at 20-18 straight up on the road. The Knicks are road underdogs in this matchup, but they did beat Houston at Madison Square Garden earlier this season.

That was a wild game, as the Knicks erased a double-digit deficit in the second half to down a Houston team that has struggled on offense in clutch games this season. The Rockets are 21st in the NBA in offensive rating in clutch situations (games within five points in the final five minutes), and it’s just 15th in offensive rating since the All-Star break.

Houston holds the No. 6 seed in the West, and it would love a win at home to put some pressure on the teams above it in the standings. However, the Rockets are just 24-21 against teams that are .500 or better in the 2025-26 season.

So, who wins this matchup between two title hopefuls?

Let’s dive into the odds, a player prop to target and my prediction for the final regular-season meeting between these teams.

Knicks vs. Rockets Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Knicks +1.5 (-122)
Rockets -1.5 (+102)

Moneyline

Knicks: -108
Rockets: -112

Total

217.5 (Over -118/Under -102)

Knicks vs. Rockets How to Watch

Date: Tuesday, March 31
Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Toyota Center
How to Watch (TV): NBC/Peacock
Knicks record: 48-27
Rockets record: 45-29

Knicks vs. Rockets Injury Reports

Knicks Injury Report

Miles McBride – questionable
Landry Shamet – out
Dillon Jones – questionable
Ariel Hukporti – questionable

Rockets Injury Report

Fred VanVleet – out
Steven Adams – out
Isaiah Crawford – out
Tristen Newton – out

Knicks vs. Rockets Best NBA Prop Bets

Rockets Best NBA Prop Bet

Kevin Durant 25+ Points (-132)

In today’s best NBA props column for SI Betting, I shared why Durant is worth a look in this market against a Knicks team he scored 30 against back in February:

Kevin Durant dropped 30 points on the Knicks earlier this season, and the Rockets star has scored at least 25 points in five of his last six games.

Overall, KD is averaging 25.9 points per game while shooting 51.7 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from beyond the arc.

The Knicks rank seventh in the NBA in defensive rating this season, but they are just 16th in the league in defensive rating over their last 10 games.

Houston’s offense is sputtering as of late, and it needs Durant’s scoring more than ever to stay afloat in the Western Conference playoff race. KD is averaging 17.3 shots per game since the All-Star break (slightly down from his season average of 17.7), so he still has a solid floor with any scoring prop.

Knicks vs. Rockets Prediction and Pick

The Knicks have an insane come-from-behind win over the Rockets earlier this season, but they’ve struggled to cover on the road in the 2025-26 campaign.

Luckily for Jalen Brunson and company, the Rockets have the second-worst against the spread record at home this season, going 13-22 in 35 games. Houston’s offense is just 16th in the league over its last 10 games while the Knicks have a top-five unit during that stretch and rank third in offensive rating and seventh in defensive rating in the 2025-26 season as a whole.

I think this is a bit of a buy-low spot for the Knicks after back-to-back losses to Charlotte and OKC.

Houston is just three games over .500 against teams that are .500 or better this season, and it’s 17th in the NBA in net rating over its last 15 games. The Knicks are sixth in net rating (+8.6) during that same stretch.

Until Houston proves that it can cover at home, I think it’s a fade candidate in a toss-up game between two playoff teams.

Pick: Knicks +1.5 (-122 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

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