While the Brooklyn Nets have locked up a playoff spot and are moving up the standings, the New York Knicks are just trying to keep their playoff hopes afloat. With the postseason looming in just two weeks, which club will win this key installment of the Battle of the Boroughs?
Brooklyn Nets vs. New York Knicks Betting Preview
When: April 2, 2014, Wednesday, 7:00PM EST
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York City
Line: Brooklyn Nets (+2.5) at New York Knicks (-2.5); total 196.5 – view lines here
Betting on the New York Knicks:
[sc:NBA240banner ]A window has opened for the Knicks to snag the final seed in this year’s Eastern Conference Playoffs. And recently, they’ve played like a club that wants to make the postseason, winning 11 of their last 14 match ups, while going 9-5 ATS during that span.
A huge chunk of New York’s resurgence is thanks to Amare Stoudemire, who’s averaging 14.8 points on 50% shooting and 6.6 rebounds in his last five games. In games “STAT” has played this season, he’s attempted an average of 10.2 shot attempts in Knicks wins, but that number drops to just 7.2 in losses.
Up next for the Knicks are the Brooklyn Nets – a rival they’ve grown to despise in the last two years. This season against the Nets, Carmelo Anthony and his crew are norming 96.5PPG and are shooting 46.2% from beyond long-range, which is about nine points above their season average.
Many pundits claim that the Knicks “live and die by the three.” Considering how well New York shoots against Brooklyn, bettors should be confident in trusting the former. To add to that, the Nets have failed to cover ATS in three of their last four contests.
Betting on the Brooklyn Nets:
The Nets came up with a huge win over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night, winning 105-96 and clinching a playoff spot. Brooklyn won its 14th straight at home, the best such streak in the league this season, and are now in the thick of the hunt at the top of the Eastern Conference.
Brooklyn has won seven of its last nine games, positioning themselves just 1.5 games behind the Raptors for the No. 3 seed in the East. To strengthen their position for homecourt in the Playoffs, they will have to take down the Knicks, which they did quite easily, 103-80, the last time they met.
In the past two meetings between both clubs, the road team has come out on top, winning by a margin of at least 23 points.
Eight straight Nets games have gone over as the team continues to rack up points amidst their hot streak.
Prediction
The Nets are red hot, but look for the Knicks to come out desperate in this one and win straight up and on the spread.
