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An intriguing Friday night prime-time duel will be in the works as the New York Knicks head to the “Valley of the Sun” to take on the Phoenix Suns. It is about that time to check out our NBA odds series where our Knicks-Suns prediction and pick will be revealed.
As a whole, the New York Knicks march into the desert with a 13-10 record but have lost three of their last four games including a 117-113 defeat on the road against the Utah Jazz. Currently, the Knicks are five games back of the Boston Celtics for the Atlantic Division but with plenty of season remaining to gain some ground.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns have only had the privilege of playing their “Big 3” of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal a select few times this season due to the injury bug, but all three of these superstars are available for play for tonight's action. However, things didn't necessarily go as planned last time out as it was the Suns that were stymied at home by the Brooklyn Nets 116-112. Nevertheless, the talented trio combined for 75 points and will look to garner some newfound momentum after losing three of their last four matchups as well.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Knicks-Suns Odds
New York Knicks: +5 (-110)
Phoenix Suns: -5 (-110)
Over: 232.5 (-110)
Under: 232.5 (-110)
How to Watch Knicks vs. Suns
Time: 10:00 ET/7:00 PT
TV: ESPN
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Knicks Could Cover The Spread
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The first order of business that the Knicks will need to conduct to take the rambunctious Phoenix crowd out of it early will be to hit some early shots preferably from beyond the arc. In grave fashion, it ended up being New York that couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in their defeat to the Jazz as the Knicks only connected on 9 of 39 three-pointers in that one. Indeed, another rough shooting night will almost certainly guarantee that New York won't even come close to sniffing the spread.
While an improved shooting performance will do the trick, be on the lookout for other ways the Knicks can get the job done with the ball in their possession as New York does happen to boast the tenth-best offensive efficiency in all of basketball. Even if the three-ball isn't falling, dominating the paint and getting second-chance opportunities on the glass will be critical.
With that being said, the biggest difference maker for New York will be in the form of Julius Randle who scored 32 but did not take a single shot attempt in the fourth quarter. Clearly, Randle is a main fixture to this Knicks offense and he has to avoid going through long-scoring droughts. With a surplus of points is expected to be at a premium versus a Phoenix team that averages 115 PPG, Randle's shot will need to be falling more than not along with an increased desire to look for scoring opportunities.
Why The Suns Could Cover The Spread
The time has finally come! That's right, the Suns are finally healthy! For the majority of the 24 games thus far of the regular season, Phoenix has had to patch up the holes on the roster that were left due to injuries. However, the entire basketball world can now find out if this year's new-look Suns squad has what it takes to be championship contenders with their recent clean bill of health.
Although the return of Bradley Beal is a huge addition for this team, the Suns have been still slumping as of late due to their inability to wreak havoc on the defensive end of the floor. Believe it or not, but Phoenix' defensive turnover percentage is the fourth-worst mark in the league. Simply put, this cannot continue against a Knicks offense that can get streaky-hot if you let them. Without a proper defensive plan, then the Suns could find themselves in deep trouble.
Even though Durant, Booker, and Beal need to play more games to mesh more effectively, few teams around the league will be able to cope with the amount of offensive explosion that the Suns bring to the floor with these three. Alas, the chances of at least one of these superstar scorers popping off in the scoring department is likely. Obviously enough, this could be a recipe for success if the Phoenix pushes the pace and plays their isolation brand of ball to perfection.
Final Knicks-Suns Prediction & Pick
This rare matchup between two teams on opposite coasts should be a treat for all basketball fans! However, at the end of the day, the star power of the Phoenix Suns on their home floor will be too much for the New York Knicks to handle.
Final Knicks-Suns Prediction & Pick: Suns -5 (-110)
