NBA Preview: The New York Knicks are simply looking to get into the win column for the first time since April 12.
Brooklyn Nets (3-2) at New York Knicks (0-3), Friday, 7:30 p.m. EST
Line: Knicks -2.5. Total: 220.5.
The Knicks were the only NBA team to go winless in the preseason. Sure, the six international teams combined to go 0-8. However, the international teams are not expected to win against NBA teams, even in the preseason. So the Knicks were the only winless team in the preseason. New York is also the only winless team in the regular season.
The Knicks lost twice to Brooklyn in the preseason. New York lost 115-107 to the Nets at home on October 3 before being slaughtered by Brooklyn five days later on the road by 34 points. However, those two games were in the preseason and did not count for anything, while Friday’s game does count in the regular season standings.
From a handicapping perspective, this is a let-down spot for Brooklyn. The Nets are coming off a nice 112-107 win over the three-time defending Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
Spencer Dinwiddie led the way for Brooklyn with 22 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Allen Crabbe had 19 points apiece, while DeMarre Carroll scored 18 points, and grabbed 7 boards for the Nets.
New York is in a bounce-back spot following their 110-89 drubbing at Boston last time out. Kristaps Porzingis had an off game with 12 points on just 3-for-14 shooting and he only had 5 rebounds. I expect Porzingis to bounce back tonight along with the rest of his team. Enes Kanter did have a good game for New York with 16 points and 19 boards.
Injury report
Nets: D’Angelo Russell is out Friday due to a right knee sprain. I wonder if perhaps the public does not know he is out because the public is over the Nets thus far. Knicks: Joakim Noah is still serving his 20-game suspension and is out.
NBA Fantasy Information
Players to look at: DeMarre Carroll (Nets), SF, $6500. Carroll is averaging 33 fantasy points per game and is coming off a season-high 38.9 fantasy points per game against Cleveland. There is value at that price which makes him a play if you are looking for a shooting forward and cannot afford Kevin Durant or Paul George. However, Carroll earns more fantasy points per dollar than both those players anyway.
Enes Kanter (Knicks), C, $6000. Kanter is close to being a nice value play at that price. I just worry that his 38.8 fantasy points against Boston last game may be an aberration. Kanter did have 16 points and 19 rebounds in that game. So he is at least a player to watch and see if can keep putting up numbers similar to his last outing.
Record: 7-7 on the season, -$70. Had I stayed away from the two second-half plays, I would be 7-5. However, I hope to have the second-half plays on the plus side at some point. I was 8-2 on Thursday picking all the second half sides and totals. Unfortunately, I did not bet any of them.
Sides: 5-4, while Totals are: 2-1
2H: 0-2
#1 Sides: 4-6, while #1 Totals are: 8-2
New York Knicks -2.5, laying $110 to win $100 – As I mentioned, I like the bounce-back spot versus the let-down spot. I especially like that spot when the bounce-back team is winless on the season and has extra motivation to get into the win column at home.
Good Luck.
Note: I am flying to Arizona today but will try and post my picks for all games at the airport. If I cannot make it back here to post, then I will try to at least have the picks on my Twitter account (@brewers7).
Edit: 4:51 p.m. EST from Newark Airport:
Sides: (1) NY, (2) OKC, (3) Den, (4) Was, (5) Tor, (6) Orl, (7) Hou.
Totals: (1) NY ov, (2) Hou un, (3) Den un, (4) Tor ov, (5) Was ov, (6) Orl ov, (7) OKC ov.
Note: I am very tempted to bet my top 3 sides and top 3 totals. However, it is too early in the season to try that, in my opinion. Tonight’s results will tell a tale of whether I am seeing these games better or not.
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