The New York Knicks host the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are 5-2 in the last seven games with an overall record of 35-44 this season. The Nets are 3-0 in the season series, and Brooklyn is 23-17 on the road. The Nets will be without Goran Dragic (protocols) and James Johnson (illness), while the Knicks will be missing Julius Randle (quad), Nerlens Noel (foot) and Cam Reddish (shoulder).
Caesars Sportsbook lists Brooklyn as a five-point road favorite, and tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the Over-Under, is 230 in the latest Nets vs. Knicks odds. Before you make any NBA predictions with the Nets vs. Knicks match-up, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's advanced computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 25 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 84-54 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning over $2,400. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Nets, and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Nets vs. Knicks:
- Nets vs. Knicks spread: Nets -5
- Nets vs. Knicks over-under: 230 points
- Nets vs. Knicks money line: Nets -210, Knicks +180
- BKN: The Nets have failed to cover the spread in five straight games
- NYK: The Knicks are 4-6 against the spread in the last 10 games
Why the Nets can cover
Brooklyn has more to play for in this matchup, as New York has been eliminated from playoff contention. The Nets are also explosive on offense, scoring 1.13 points per possession for the season. Brooklyn is in the top five of the NBA in field goal percentage, burying more than 47 percent of shots, and the Nets are also in the top 10 in three-point accuracy at 36 percent. Brooklyn takes advantage of the free throw line, making 80 percent of attempts, and the Nets rank in the top 10 of the league in assists and fast break points per game.
On defense, Brooklyn is adept at challenging shots, ranking in the top 10 in field goal percentage allowed and three-point percentage allowed. The Nets also execute quite well, holding opponents to a bottom-10 mark in assists per game, and the Knicks are in the bottom five of the NBA in field goal percentage, free throw percentage, points in the paint, and assists per game.
Why the Knicks can cover
The Knicks are clearly elite in key areas on both ends of the floor. New York is No. 2 in the NBA in free throw attempts, averaging 24.2 per game, and the Knicks are in the top six in offensive rebound rate (29.4 percent) and second-chance points (14.6 per game). Brooklyn is dead-last in defensive rebound rate, clearing a path for effectiveness on the glass from the Knicks. New York protects the ball at a high level, committing 13.3 turnovers per game, and the Knicks are No. 4 in the NBA in avoiding live-ball turnovers.
On the other end, the Knicks are No. 4 in the league in defensive rebound rate (73.9 percent) and No. 5 in second-chance points allowed (12.4 per game). New York is also in the top six of the league in fast break points allowed, points allowed in the paint, field goal percentage allowed, and 3-point percentage allowed. Opponents are also producing only 24.1 assists per game against New York, and the Knicks have both a rest advantage and home-court advantage in this matchup.
How to make Nets vs. Knicks picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, projecting 232 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 70 percent of simulations. You can only see the model's Knicks vs. Nets pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Knicks vs. Nets? And which side of the spread hits in almost 70 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Nets vs. Knicks spread you need to jump on Wednesday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.