Minus James Harden, the Brooklyn Nets have a better chance of beating the NBA odds this Wednesday when they visit the New York Knicks.
Brooklyn Nets vs. New York Knicks
Wednesday, February 16, 2022 – 7:30 PM EST at Madison Square Garden
The Brooklyn Nets were always about the promise. They still are, but this time, the promise is that Ben Simmons, not James Harden, will eventually join Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the court. All three will be absent for Wednesday’s game versus the New York Knicks, but taking Harden out of the equation may be exactly what Brooklyn needed to become a profitable NBA pick.
You can’t argue with the results so far. The Nets are 1-2 SU and a perfect 3-0 ATS since they dealt Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers ahead of Thursday’s deadline. They’re still in danger of falling out of the Eastern Conference title hunt at 30-27 (22-33-2 ATS), but even with Simmons apparently aiming for a March 10 return, when Brooklyn will face the Sixers, this trade has given the Nets what they need to beat the NBA odds Wednesday night after opening as 6.5-point road dogs at BetMGM.
The Other Guys
It’s easy to forget there were some other players who exchanged hands last week. Brooklyn also received Seth Curry and Andre Drummond from Philly, while sending them Paul Millsap along with Harden. Millsap already wasn’t playing for the Nets; Curry and Drummond started in their Brooklyn debuts on Monday and led them to a 109-85 win over the Sacramento Kings (–2 away), with Curry scoring a team-high 23 points.
This is where the Nets are getting their value. Their frontcourt has been a mess of injuries this year, and they’re also without one of the best 3-point shooters in the league in swingman Joe Harris, who remains out indefinitely recovering from surgery on his left ankle.
Drummond isn’t the All-Star center he used to be, but he played quite well in Philly backing up Joel Embiid, and Curry (40% from downtown) has been a steady hand behind the arc since he broke through in 2015. Now all they need is their Big Three to reunite.
Grin and Barrett
The Knicks (25-33 SU, 26-32 ATS) need a whole lot more than that. With Julius Randle turning back into a league-average player after making his first All-Star team last year, there isn’t anyone man who seems capable of leading this team – especially with Derrick Rose (ankle) still out until March.
RJ Barrett might be that man eventually, but he’s not at that level yet, and Barrett will miss Wednesday’s game with a sprained left ankle. The Knicks are 1-2 SU and ATS since he last played. Just to make things worse, Nerlens Noel (left foot) has also been ruled out for Wednesday, leaving the Knicks without arguably their best defender. Nothing comes easy in this sport, but from a betting perspective, Brooklyn is the clear choice for your NBA picks this time. Bet accordingly.
NBA Pick: Nets +6.5 (–110) with BetMGM
