The New York Knicks are clicking under coach Mike Brown: elite offense, solid defense, star power, and home-court advantage make them a serious threat in the Eastern Conference. Health will be key down the stretch in a tight conference race.
Before the All-Star break, the Knicks rebounded from a mid-season slump to win 8 of their last 11 games, including a franchise-record 54-point victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
The Houston Rockets are a gritty, defensive-minded squad with superstar talent (Kevin Durant) and a rising young core. They're overperforming
projections in a tough Western Conference, eyeing a deep playoff run if they stay healthy.
The Rockets boast elite defense, top-tier rebounding, and a solid offense. In turn, their slow pace emphasizes efficiency over volume. Houston offers strong rebounding margins and solid shooting.
Betting traffic and viewership will be high for this ABC Saturday night showdown of contenders.
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Houston Rockets at New York Knicks Betting at Bookmaker
Madison Square Garden in New York will host the New York Knicks vs. Houston Rockets matchup on Saturday, February 21, 2026. Tipoff time is at 8:30 p.m. ET with television coverage on ABC.
For New York, OG Anunoby has missed the last four games due to a toe avulsion (loss of a toenail). But he is expected to be evaluated for a return for the Knicks' next game against Detroit.
Karl-Anthony Towns required 16 stitches for a severe eye laceration suffered on February 4. Despite minor back soreness, he participated in the 2026 All-Star Game and is considered fully available.
For Houston, Alperen Sengün is active. Despite a minor lower leg contusion in mid-February, Sengün played in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game as an injury replacement for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Additionally, Kevin Durant is active. Durant missed one game in early February due to a left ankle sprain. Since then, he returned to the lineup without restrictions.
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are 33-20 straight up, 23-30 against the spread, and 22-31 over-under the total. Late on, Houston has covered two of their last ten games. At the same time, the Rockets have gone under the total in four of their previous six matchups.
Houston is 4th in the Western Conference playoff standings. Houston is 7.5 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference playoff race.
Houston ranks 20th in scoring offense, 13th in field goal percentage, 6th in 3-point field goal percentage, 27th in free throw percentage, and 1st in offensive rebounding.
The Rockets rank 4th in scoring defense, 5th in field goal percentage allowed, 7th in 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 2nd in defensive rebounding.
New York Knicks
The New York Knicks are 35-20 straight up, 29-25-1 against the spread, and 27-28 over-under the total. Late on, New York has covered seven out of their last nine games. At the same time, the Knicks have gone over the total in four of their previous six matchups.
New York is 3rd in the Eastern Conference playoff standings. New York is six games behind the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
New York ranks 8th in scoring offense, 12th in field goal percentage, 3rd in 3-point field goal percentage, 12th in free throw percentage, and 4th in offensive rebounding.
The Knicks rank 6th in scoring defense, 7th in field goal percentage allowed, 12th in 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 5th in defensive rebounding.
Rockets at Knicks Betting Trends
Houston covered its last three games against New York. However, the Knicks covered seven of the previous eight meetings before that. Five of the last eight games between the Knicks and Rockets went under the total.
Specifically in New York, Houston got the money in ten of its last 14 games with New York. Four of the last six games between the Rockets and Knicks in New York went over the total.
Rockets at Knicks Bookmaker Best Bets
To conclude, Houston is a good value in this spot based on its strong defense. The Rockets cover well as underdogs, and road unders are common due to their pace.
Main Pick: Houston Rockets
Over/Under Pick: Under the Total
Player Prop Picks: Amen Thompson Over the Combined Points, Rebounds, and Assists Totals
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