[sc:NBA240banner ]The Oklahoma City Thunder’s scorching win streak met its end on Sunday, when they were ambushed by the Brooklyn Nets. The Thunder continue their four-game road trip with a game later tonight at Madison Square Garden, where the New York Knicks look to go up 2-0 in their regular season matchup.
Read on for more about this game. You can also check out our breakdown of Clippers vs. Pacers.
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Oklahoma City Thunder vs. New York Knicks Betting Preview
[sc:NBA250 ]The Thunder’s seven-game win streak was snapped unexpectedly by Brooklyn on Sunday, as Oklahoma City lost to the Nets, 116-106. The Thunder next take on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, where the Thunder are 6-4 SU and 4-6 ATS in their last trips there.
Oklahoma City was torched in the shaded area by Lopez, who had 31 points. Brooklyn’s one of the best inside scoring team in the NBA, which is something the Knicks are not, so the Thunder must have an easier time dealing with New York’s big men later tonight. In fact, the Knicks are last in the league with 36.7 points in the paint per game. Although New York scored 52 PITP in its 93-90 win over the Thunder on Nov. 20, that was a game in which OKC was without Kevin Durant and his 1.2 blocks per game.
With Durant back in the mix, the Thunder will have added size and length on defense in the rematch. But it’s Durant’s capability on offense that the Thunder are more excited about, as Durantula is averaging a team-high 226.6 PPG on the season. Russell Westbrook, who scored 34 points in the first meeting with the Knicks, is going to be another mismatch problem for New York’s slow backcourt that starts Jose Calderon at the point. Westbrook is putting up 23.9 PPG.
Oklahoma City is second in the NBA in scoring with 108.5 PPG.
The biggest reason why the Knicks won in their first matchup with the Knicks this season was Carmelo Anthony, who led them with 25 points in that game.
Anthony, however, is coming off a bad outing, scoring just nine points on 9-for-11 shooting in just 29 minutes of a 97-84 loss to Charlotte on Saturday—the Knicks’ second straight defeat. He also tweaked his knee in that game, but said that he’ll be fine for Tuesday’s game against the Thunder.
Anthony aside, the Knicks are counting on Kristaps Porzingis and Arron Afflalo to provide needed scoring support. Porzingis scored just seven points in the November game versus OKC, but averaged 14.5 points over the last four games. Afflalo, meanwhile, put up 13.5 during the same stretch.
One Knick, who’s been stepping up of late is former second-pick overall Derrick Williams. The Arizona product led the Knicks in the Charlotte game with 19 points and 14 rebounds off the bench, improving his averages to 13.2 points and 6.6 rebounds in five games. On the season, Williams is putting up just 9.2 PPG and 3.6 RPG.
New York is 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS in its last 10 home games.
