Vegas Line at this writing: Nets -9.5 (194)
Strangely enough, when the Knicks were just mediocre and the Nets were just eight miles across the river at the Meadowlands, this used to be quite a rivalry. In fact, if the Nets were not doing well in whatever particular year, game in New Jersey were more or less two additional Knick home games. Now, the Knicks are suffering through the worst year in franchise history and at 14-60 are two games clear for the worst record in the league assuring them Jahill Okafur or Karl-Anthony Towns barring a major malfunction in the ping pong balls. Brooklyn is playing arguably their best ball of the year and are right in the thick of the fight for one of two remaining playoff sports in the NBA East.
The Nets have won four straight, eight of their last ten and for our purposes, are 6-2 in their L8 as a road favorite. The Over is 8-2 in Brooklyn’s L12 games. The Knicks have lost seven straight going 1-6 against the number. The Under is 6-3-1 in the Knicks L10, New York is averaging just 84.6 ppg. on offense in their L5 games. Brooklyn has won all three meetings this year by 11-6-4, covering twice with Under 2-1.
Brooklyn:
The Nets are led in scoring by Brook Lopez who averages 16.7 points and 7.2 boards in just 28 minutes a game. Veteran max player Joe Johnson averages (14.5, 4.8, 3.5) nightly while PG Deron Williams is having an abysmal shooting year and is posting a career low 12.7, 3.2, 6.7 statline. Thaddeus Young is nursing a sore knee but has been a blessing since coming over in the Kevin Garnett deal at the trade deadline averaging 14.0 ppg.
New York:
The Knicks lineup is barely a D-League lineup at this point although Andrea Bargnani has returned to finish out the final ten games of his miserable Knick career. Former UNLV product Lou Amundson (4.7, 4.3, 1.7) and Lance Thomas (7.2, 3.2, 1.1) out of Duke have each started the last five games. Shane Larking and Langston Galloway are your other other possible starters. Cole Aldrich, yeah remember him from Kansas, leads the team in rebounding at 5.5 per.
Allen’s Angles
Brooklyn is 23-15 ATS in road games this year
The Nets are 1-5 ATS of 3+ consecutive home games
The Under is 10-4 in Net games vs. division opponents
The Under is 11-5 in the second game of Brooklyn back-to-backs
The Knicks are 10-7 ATS in their L17 with 3+ days rest
New York is 12-26 ATS this year off 3+ losses
The Knicks are 16-5 SU and 15-6 ATS in their L21 April games
The Under is 13-7 after the Knicks score 85 points or less