Pelicans vs Knicks: The Best NBA Bet to Make for Tuesday Night

The New Orleans Pelicans travel to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday as +8.5 underdogs against the New York Knicks. With the Pelicans sitting at 25-47 and the Knicks at 47-25 and fighting for a top seed in the East, the line looks steep on paper. However, there are multiple reasons why New Orleans keeps this game competitive and comfortably covers the spread in what should be a single-digit contest.

The biggest edge for the Pelicans is rest. New Orleans has enjoyed three full days off since its March 21 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, allowing its core rotation to recharge. In contrast, the Knicks have been grinding through a demanding stretch in a tight Eastern Conference race. Fresh legs will matter in a fast-paced game at MSG, particularly for Zion Williamson. The 25-year-old forward is averaging 21.3 points per game this season while shooting an efficient 59.8 percent from the field. His combination of size, strength, and explosiveness creates constant problems in the paint, even against the Knicks’ physical frontcourt of Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby. Williamson’s ability to draw help defense consistently opens driving lanes and kick-out opportunities for his teammates.

Trey Murphy III has emerged as one of the league’s most reliable shooters and will see expanded minutes with the current rotation. Saddiq Bey complements that spacing perfectly, providing secondary scoring and floor balance that forces the Knicks to respect the perimeter. Dejounte Murray anchors the backcourt with elite playmaking and defensive versatility. His ability to push tempo and create easy looks should exploit any early-game lapses in New York’s half-court sets.

Defensively, the Pelicans bring length and athleticism that can disrupt the Knicks’ rhythm. Herbert Jones remains one of the NBA’s premier two-way wings, capable of switching onto multiple positions and bothering Jalen Brunson or sliding over to help on bigger forwards. That versatility, paired with Zion Williamson’s rim protection and Murray’s on-ball pressure, gives New Orleans the tools to make this game grittier than the betting line suggests.

New York is without key perimeter depth, forcing heavier minutes on its starters. The Pelicans, playing with house money as a team largely out of playoff contention, have shown a knack for covering spreads as underdogs lately. They enter this matchup motivated and rested, with Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Saddiq Bey, Dejounte Murray, and Herbert Jones all locked in and healthy. Expect the Pelicans to hang tough through four quarters. The combination of rest, star power from Zion Williamson, sharp perimeter play from Trey Murphy III and Saddiq Bey, and disruptive defense led by Herbert Jones and Dejounte Murray gives New Orleans every chance to keep it within single digits. The +8.5 spread is very much the play on Tuesday night at MSG.