This is the first time I post in a while in NBA...
New York Knicks -2
Philadelphia comes into this game averaging only 94.6 points per game in their last five games and that just won't be enough against a high scoring New York Knicks team. In those games the Sixers are shooting only 40.9% from the floor and that's just what the Knicks defense needs...a team that couldn't shoot the ball even if their lives depended on it. Philly has been brutal from three point range in those games making only 27.1% of their three point shots in their last five games on only 3.8 three point shots made per game. The Sixers love working the ball down low and getting to the free throw line instead but the problem with that here is that they shoot only 70.8% from the charity stripe and those are valuable points they cannot afford to lose in this game. The guard play has been pretty good for the Sixers but they don't move the ball enough to play at this kind of fast pace and that is going to be a problem as the game progresses. They average only 18.6 assists per game in their last five games (NBA average is 21.4) and they might run into some problems tonight against a pesky Knicks team that has forced 14.4 turnovers per game in their last five games. The Sixers bench has been nothing more than average in the last five games and that's going to be a huge problem in the second quarter of this game because the Knicks bench is outstanding. What this really comes down to is guard play and ability to run the offense at a fast pace and the Sixers are going to struggle to do that all night in this game. Had Elton Brand still been playing things would be different.
The New York Knicks rarely have problems winning home games against weaker team or teams that are not considered top notch NBA teams and the Sixers should be no exception to that fact. The Knicks are coming off a pretty bad home loss and we all know they are going to be jacked up for this game tonight. The Sixers don't score a lot of points and they do not in any way have the capabilities of shooting things out with any team in the NBA right now so the goal for the Knicks is to run the floor and score a ton of points. They come into this game averaging 114.2 points per game in their last five games and in those games they managed to shoot 45.0% from the floor (which is below NBA averages but understandable at the pace of play they play). That's a huge problem for this Philadelphia team that has allowed their last five opponents to shoot 48.7% from the floor and score 98.8 points per game. Unlike the Sixers, the Knicks have the ability to knock down shots from the outside as they have made 39.7% of their three point shot attempts in their last five games and they have made 11.6 three point shots per game in those games (NBA average is 7.0 per game the last five games). The Knicks have been absolute beasts on the boards the last five games bringing down 46.6 rebounds per game on 12.2 offensive rebounds per game and their guards have played some fantastic ball. What has me the most impressed it the fact that they average 43.8 points from their bench per game in those games while the NBA average for bench points is 28.8 per game. Philly is screwed when their starters have to go out. The Knicks have turned the ball over only 11.2 times per game the last five games so the fact that the Sixers have forced 17+ turnovers per game their last five games is useless. They just won't keep up with the Knicks in this game.
I have not bet on an NBA game in quite some time but I can tell you right now that the Sixers are coming off a straight up win and the last seven times they came off a win, they are only 2-5 ATS in those games. They are also only 2-6 ATS in their last eight games versus Atlantic Division opponents and this is a range of spread that this team has just not done well with. I say that because they are 1-4 ATS in their last five games as an underdog of 0.5 to 4.5 points and they are a pathetic 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall. The Sixers are coming off a pretty game where they scored more than 100 points but the problem there is that the last four times they scored 100 points or more, they followed that up with an ATS loss the next time out. The Knicks on the other hand are 4-0 ATS in their last four games as a home favorite of 0.5 to 4.5 points and they have done very well as a favorite going 5-1 ATS in their last six games. I know the Knicks have talked about playing better basketball against Eastern Conference opponents and that all starts tonight. The favorite in this series has covered 4 of the last 5 meetings and Philadelphia has always been a horrendous bet when they visit New York as they are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 trips to Madison Square Gardens. Sure they won by 10 here earlier in January but they were favored in that game and the Knicks used a very short bench in that game. Expect much different results this time around. I see the Knicks dominating this game and winning big.
Trend of the Game: New York is 5-1 ATS in their last six games as a home favorite.
NY Knicks 110, Philadelphia 91
:toast:
New York Knicks -2
Philadelphia comes into this game averaging only 94.6 points per game in their last five games and that just won't be enough against a high scoring New York Knicks team. In those games the Sixers are shooting only 40.9% from the floor and that's just what the Knicks defense needs...a team that couldn't shoot the ball even if their lives depended on it. Philly has been brutal from three point range in those games making only 27.1% of their three point shots in their last five games on only 3.8 three point shots made per game. The Sixers love working the ball down low and getting to the free throw line instead but the problem with that here is that they shoot only 70.8% from the charity stripe and those are valuable points they cannot afford to lose in this game. The guard play has been pretty good for the Sixers but they don't move the ball enough to play at this kind of fast pace and that is going to be a problem as the game progresses. They average only 18.6 assists per game in their last five games (NBA average is 21.4) and they might run into some problems tonight against a pesky Knicks team that has forced 14.4 turnovers per game in their last five games. The Sixers bench has been nothing more than average in the last five games and that's going to be a huge problem in the second quarter of this game because the Knicks bench is outstanding. What this really comes down to is guard play and ability to run the offense at a fast pace and the Sixers are going to struggle to do that all night in this game. Had Elton Brand still been playing things would be different.
The New York Knicks rarely have problems winning home games against weaker team or teams that are not considered top notch NBA teams and the Sixers should be no exception to that fact. The Knicks are coming off a pretty bad home loss and we all know they are going to be jacked up for this game tonight. The Sixers don't score a lot of points and they do not in any way have the capabilities of shooting things out with any team in the NBA right now so the goal for the Knicks is to run the floor and score a ton of points. They come into this game averaging 114.2 points per game in their last five games and in those games they managed to shoot 45.0% from the floor (which is below NBA averages but understandable at the pace of play they play). That's a huge problem for this Philadelphia team that has allowed their last five opponents to shoot 48.7% from the floor and score 98.8 points per game. Unlike the Sixers, the Knicks have the ability to knock down shots from the outside as they have made 39.7% of their three point shot attempts in their last five games and they have made 11.6 three point shots per game in those games (NBA average is 7.0 per game the last five games). The Knicks have been absolute beasts on the boards the last five games bringing down 46.6 rebounds per game on 12.2 offensive rebounds per game and their guards have played some fantastic ball. What has me the most impressed it the fact that they average 43.8 points from their bench per game in those games while the NBA average for bench points is 28.8 per game. Philly is screwed when their starters have to go out. The Knicks have turned the ball over only 11.2 times per game the last five games so the fact that the Sixers have forced 17+ turnovers per game their last five games is useless. They just won't keep up with the Knicks in this game.
I have not bet on an NBA game in quite some time but I can tell you right now that the Sixers are coming off a straight up win and the last seven times they came off a win, they are only 2-5 ATS in those games. They are also only 2-6 ATS in their last eight games versus Atlantic Division opponents and this is a range of spread that this team has just not done well with. I say that because they are 1-4 ATS in their last five games as an underdog of 0.5 to 4.5 points and they are a pathetic 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall. The Sixers are coming off a pretty game where they scored more than 100 points but the problem there is that the last four times they scored 100 points or more, they followed that up with an ATS loss the next time out. The Knicks on the other hand are 4-0 ATS in their last four games as a home favorite of 0.5 to 4.5 points and they have done very well as a favorite going 5-1 ATS in their last six games. I know the Knicks have talked about playing better basketball against Eastern Conference opponents and that all starts tonight. The favorite in this series has covered 4 of the last 5 meetings and Philadelphia has always been a horrendous bet when they visit New York as they are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 trips to Madison Square Gardens. Sure they won by 10 here earlier in January but they were favored in that game and the Knicks used a very short bench in that game. Expect much different results this time around. I see the Knicks dominating this game and winning big.
Trend of the Game: New York is 5-1 ATS in their last six games as a home favorite.
NY Knicks 110, Philadelphia 91
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