Two crosstown rivals clash Monday night on ESPN as the New York Knicks travel to the Barclay's Center to take on the Brooklyn Nets. This eastern conference showdown sees the league's best offense up against the league's best defense. The battle for the big apple always features a lot of grit and never disappoints. Randle and Barrett square off against Harden and Irving in what's set to be a Monday night thriller. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Knicks-Nets prediction and pick.

Here’s how the sportsbooks are lining up this contest:

NBA Odds: Knicks-Nets Odds

New York Knicks +8.5 (-110)

Brooklyn Nets -8.5 (-110)

Over 224 Points (-11o)

Under 224 Points (-110)

Why The Knicks Could Cover The Spread

The New York Knicks come into this game sporting a 22-17 record ATS. The league's top-ranked defensive unit has seen great success of late, going 10-4 ATS in their last 14 outings. Leave no doubt about it, this Knicks team is definitely a problem. They may be a star or two away from entering the contender conversations, but I can assure you that this team is no longer being taken lightly. The Thibs effect is in full effect. Grit, tenacity, and energy on both ends of the floor have catapulted the Knicks to playoff contention.

They may be a star or two away, but the Knicks certainly have some star power on this roster. Julius Randle and RJ Barrett have taken massive leaps this season. Randle and Barrett balled out in the recent win in OKC. They are hitting their stride going into the second half and know the importance of every game as a fringe playoff team. The Knicks have made it clear that the goal is reaching the postseason as they have been circulating through trade talks. The reason they're able to enter the conversations is because of the plethora of young talent on this roster.

The Knicks could cover this spread for two main reasons. First off, the Nets will still be without Kevin Durant and newly acquired Blake Griffin on Monday night. Those two guys make for a lot of buckets and against the Knicks, you need every bucket you can get. The Nets have played very well despite Durant's absence, but in a crosstown rivalry where added energy will be on display, I can see this hurting the Nets down the stretch. The Knicks have also had a lot of success against the Nets of late. They've gone 4-1 ATS in the last 5 matchups and are looking for a big win to hit their stride tonight.

Why The Nets Could Cover The Spread

The Brooklyn Nets were ranked No. 1 by NBA.com in the latest power ranking. This team currently has the second-best odds to win the championship right now. They are the league's best offensive unit and arguably one of the best offensive units in the history of basketball. The acquisition of James Harden has put this team into another stratosphere. James has been a certified triple-double threat since coming over and has even played a large part in helping Kyrie enter MVP conversations. This team possesses the best backcourt in basketball. This will pose problems for the Knicks tonight as they will be without D Rose and Elfrid Payton.

The Nets have been on an absolute tear of late, winning nine of their last ten games and covering the spread in eight of those games. They've covered in two of their last three games as a favorite of at least eight points as well. When they're expected to take care of their business, they typically do. They're 18-11 ATS on the season as a favorite and thrive in the juggernaut role. They've gotten great play from some of their role players as well. Deandre Jordan has been a solid presence in the interior and Joe Harris lights it up from deep.

My X-factor in this one for the Nets will be DeAndre Jordan. The Knicks will look to win the battle in the paint and with the prowess of Nerlens Noel down low, Jordan will have to work hard to win the battle and create second-chance points for his club. As mentioned before, points are always at a premium against the Knicks. The Nets are a high-volume team that looks to push the pace. They've shot at a 41% clip from beyond the arc and over 80% from the charity stripe as a unit in 2021. You know they will get theirs, the only question is will they stop Randle and Barrett from getting theirs, too. Defense will be the key to a cover for Brooklyn tonight.

Final Knicks-Nets Prediction & Pick

The battle for New York never seems to disappoint. You always see added energy in these games, which typically leads to a close scoring affair. I like the Knicks to cover this spread under the bright lights on ESPN. They have an enormous chip on their shoulder and have an opportunity to put the league on notice. The Knicks are for real, the Knicks will make the postseason this year, and the Knicks will bring the Nets down to earth on Monday night. If you're feeling courageous, you can join me in sprinkling a little fairy dust on the Knicks ML (+290) for some great value.

FINAL SCORE PREDICTION & PICK FOR Knicks-Nets: 107, 112  (NYK +8.5 (-110)