Knicks At Thunder Preview: A Bettors Perspective
Jan 14th, 2012 by PJ LaFerla
Betting Line:
New York Knicks (+12)
Oklahoma City Thunder (-12)
Over/Under 193.5
Game Time 8:05 EST
GAME ANALYSIS:
When you think about the New York Knicks (6-5) and their superstar roster of players like: Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and newly acquired Tyson Chandler to name a few – and you add in head coach, Mike D’Antoni calling the shots, you have to scratch your head and wonder why they aren’t one of the top five teams in the entire league. In the early going not only are the Knicks (not) living up to their billing, but they actually trail the 76ers in the division by 2 games. To make matter worse, there is a good chance the Knicks will play this match-up without Carmelo Anthony – who sprained his ankle in a losing effort against the Grizzles this past Thursday. In fact, Anthony was quoted as saying it will take a miracle for him to suit up for this game. Before you think its dooms-day for the Knicks, I can point out some positives – like having a slightly better defense than the Thunder and though its not stellar, they are playing .500 on the road. However, against the spread they have a record of 3-8.
The Thunder (10-2) come into this home game riding a five game winning streak, winning five of their last six and becoming the first team to win back-to-back-to-back games in the process. Kevin Durant has been dominating the floor (as usual) with three straight double-doubles. Making matters worse, Durant has averaged 30.0 + points per game in his last four meetings against the Knicks. The Thunder are great at home (and on the road for that matter), but they are only 6-6 against the spread and that concerns me a bit with this match-up.
WHO TO BE ON?
To me this is one of those games that makes it harder to handicap then you think. Right about now, you are probably saying to yourself, this guy is nuts… this game is a slam dunk! No pun intended. The Thunder are playing like a team on a mission and anything less than a trip to the finals would be a disappointment, while the Knicks are looking nothing like that right now. But, the Knicks are definitely a better team than the record shows at this point, and to be getting a generous +12 on the road seems like an over-inflated line due to the recent play of the Thunder and perhaps the absence of Carmelo Anthony. I am a huge fan of the Thunder, but this is about making money and although they might not win the game, the Knicks will certainly cover. I’m even going out on a limb to say the Knicks will win this game outright. I preach research and analysis to give you a better shot at winning your plays and maintain over time that will ultimately give you an edge, but every blue moon you have to go with the gut and my gut is telling me the Knicks! I am 6-0 on my last six predictions with my research and analysis, now let’s see if I can start a new streak by going 1-0 on guts.
SOME OTHER INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THIS GAME:
~ The Knicks are 2-0 against the spread when playing on Saturday this year.
~ The Knicks have not been a double-digit dog once all season.
~ The Thunder have a losing record against the spread as a favorite this season at 5-6.
~ The Thunder are .500 against the spread when they play a team with a winning record.
PREDICTION:
Knicks 107, Thunder 103
PJ Laferla is a practicing freelance writer, professional handicapper, and the founder of SportsInput.com. If you are interested in hiring PJ Laferla for freelance writing or for winning picks against the spread, please submit all inquires to PJ@sportsinput.com.