Nets Favored Over Knicks In Battle Of New York

The Brooklyn Nets (14-6 SU, 8-11-1 ATS) host the New York Knicks (11-9, 9-11) on Tuesday night in this season’s first battle of the Big Apple. The Nets are 4-1 in their last five games while the Knicks will look to win two consecutive outings for the first time since October 30.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The Nets opened as 6.5-point favorites at home over their New York City rivals. The total was set at 218.5 points with the UNDER going 7-3 in the last 10 meetings between the two teams. The Knicks are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games against Brooklyn while the Nets are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six contests.

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New York News & Notes

The Knicks picked up a 99-90 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday in their last time out. Alec Burks (23 points) and Evan Fournier (20 points) led the way for New York as top scorer Julius Randle (8 points) finished in single digits for the second straight game.

New York’s problem of late has been on the offensive end of the court, scoring under 100 points in five of its last eight outings. The Knicks have averaged 106.3 points per game this season – the 19th-ranked offense in the NBA.

Derrick Rose (ankle), Taj Gibson (groin), RJ Barrett (illness) and Nerlens Noel (knee) are all questionable for Tuesday.

Brooklyn News & Notes

The Nets’ four-game win streak came to an end on Saturday as they fell 113-107 to the Phoenix Suns. Kevin Durant dropped 39 points to lead all scorers but didn’t get quite enough help. James Harden scored just 12 points but had a triple-double with 14 assists and 13 rebounds.

Durant has been an absolute force this season with 28.6 points per game – tied for first with Golden State’s Steph Curry. Durant’s scoring rate is his personal best since 2013-14, when he averaged 32 points per game for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Brooklyn announced Monday that Joe Harris will undergo ankle surgery and is projected to miss four to eight weeks.

How New York Will Cover

While the Knicks have been a mediocre team this season, which is evident in their record, they have been relatively strong on the road at 6-3 through nine games. They’ve managed to play a tight defensive game as the visitors, allowing just 102.7 points per game – the second-best mark in the NBA. It’s always tough to contain Durant, but they could feasibly keep this one close.

How Brooklyn Will Cover

The Nets have been explosive offensively, winning by at least seven points in 10 of their 14 victories this season. In other words, if you think the Nets are going to win, they’re likely going to win big. With a player like Durant, who has dropped 30-plus points eight times this season, it’s easy to see why.

Computer Pick: Knicks +6.5

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