On Tuesday night, the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets engage in the final New York city battle of the season. The Knicks have the lead in the regular season series, and the Nets would like to tie it tonight, when they play their last home game before the playoffs.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Despite winning five of their last seven games, the New York Knicks are going to miss the playoffs. Carmelo Anthony, for the first time in his NBA career, will not play postseason basketball. Still, the Knicks won’t be lacking for motivation when they face rival, Brooklyn Nets, for their final road game of the season.
New York is 3-1 SU and ATS in their last four games away from Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks lead the regular season series with the Nets, having won two of their three match-ups. They won the first meeting at Brooklyn, 113-83, with Anthony producing team-high numbers of 19 points and 10 boards. Anthony is averaging 22.7 PPG and 10.7 RPG in the three games versus Brooklyn.
After suffering back-to-back losses at the hands of Washington and Miami, the Knicks went on to win their next two games versus Toronto and Chicago, respectively. In both games, New York scored 100 points, pushing their streak of going over the total to three games.
Betting on the Brooklyn Nets
With Jason Kidd eventually figuring out how to coach and win, the Brooklyn Nets are headed to the playoffs after a lousy start to the season. With a postseason ticket in its pocket, Brooklyn now looks to win its final regular season home game against the Knicks.
The Nets are almost unbeatable at home since January. They are 17-1 SU in their last 18 games at Barclay Center. They are having similar success in covering the spread, as evidenced by their 13-3 ATS record in the last 16 at home.
Joe Johnson continues to be the main source of points for the Nets, putting up 17.6 PPG. Meanwhile, rookie Mason Plumlee is turning heads with his improved play down the stretch of the regular season. Owner of a 7.3 PPG season average, the former Duke standout is now averaging 14.8 PPG in the last five games.
The Nets are 4-1 under in their last five games overall.
Writer’s Prediction
The Knicks are playing with nothing to lose against a playoff bound team, which could use its stars sparingly in this game. Expect the Nets to lay off a bit on defense, thus allowing for more scoring opportunities for New York. Take the Knicks covering the spread. Who are you going to bet on?
