Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon Sport
Brooklyn Nets vs New York Knicks: The battle for New York
The Brooklyn Nets are visiting the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
Can the Nets reach the play-in zone?
The Brooklyn Nets are 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 26-44 record. They have lost the last five games and are coming off a 115-108 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Nets are in the bottom three teams in the league, shooting 45.7% from the field, and are ranked seventh in three-pointers made with 13.6 per game. Cam Thomas leads the team with 21.5 points per game, followed by Mikal Bridges with 20.5.
Is this the season for the Knicks?
The New York Knicks are fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 41-28 record. After winning four consecutive games, the Knicks lost 113-100 in the last one against the Denver Nuggets. The Knicks are second in the league, allowing 108 points per game, and are ranked second to last with 23.9 assists per game. Jalen Brunson leads the team with 27.5 points and 6.5 assists per game.
Betting Trends
The Knicks have won 4 of the last 5 games against the Nets and have covered the spread in 4 of the last 5 against them. The Knicks are 6-14 ATS in the last 20 games, 7-2 ATS in the last 9 games against teams from the Atlantic Division and 2-6 ATS in the last 8 games as favorites. The Nets are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 games.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Nets have fallen 4.5 games behind the last team in the play-in zone, and it seems like the playoff hopes are fading away. The Knicks, on the other hand, are coming back home after winning three of four games on the West Coast road trip. They are hanging on to the top six teams in the conference and should have no problems staying there. They are the second-best defensive team in the league, and the Nets, being one of the worst shooting teams in the league, will have a major problem in MSG. The Knicks are simply on another level at the moment and will win this one by covering the -6.5-point spread.
