Suns vs. Knicks: NBA Predictions Against the Spread

New York Knicks (8-6 SU, 7-7 ATS) vs. Phoenix Suns (9-6 SU, 5-10 ATS)

When: Wednesday, November 20th, 10:00 PM (ET)

Where: Footprint Center, AZ, Phoenix

TV: ESPN

Point Spread: NY -5.5/Pho +5.5

Total: 222

Money Line: New York Knicks -223/+186

Notable Injuries

Knicks

• Mitchell Robinson (Out) Ankle
• Precious Achiuwa (Out) Hamstring
• Miles McBride (Out) Knee

Suns

• Bradley Beal (Out) Calf
• Jusuf Nurkic (Questionable) Ankle
• Kevin Durant (Out) Calf
• Collin Gillespie (Out) Ankle

At 10:00 ET, the Knicks (-223) will take on the Suns (+186) in a non-conference matchup. ESPN will televise the game from Footprint Center in Phoenix.

New York is currently 4th in the Eastern Conference with an 8-6 record and a three-game winning streak. Meanwhile, Phoenix is 6th in the West and has lost four straight games.

Recent Form

The Knicks improved to 8-6 this season with a dominant 134-106 win over the Wizards on Monday. Playing at home, New York entered the game as -14.5 point favorites and covered the spread. The total score of 240 points went over the pre-game line of 233.5.

New York took control early with a 10-0 run, extending the score from 12-9 to 19-12. They outscored Washington 40-27 in the 1st quarter and 33-27 in the 2nd. A strong 3rd quarter saw them outscore the Wizards 36-21, and they entered the 4th leading 109-75 before easing off, allowing Washington to win the final quarter 31-25.

The Suns fell to 9-6 on the season after a 109-99 home loss to the Magic on Monday. Phoenix entered the game as +4.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total score of 208 points fell short of the 212.5-point line.

Orlando took control early, outscoring Phoenix 38-26 in the 2nd quarter. The Suns and Magic each scored 20 points in the 3rd, leaving Phoenix trailing 84-68 going into the 4th. The Suns outscored the Magic 31-25 in the final quarter but couldn’t complete the comeback.

The Historicals

Through the last five matchups between the teams, New York has an ATS mark of 3-2. But, looking at the scoring margin in these games, an average of just 2 points per game separates the teams. In these matchups, the teams have put together an over-under mark of 3-2. Combined, they averaged 222 points in these games.

Analysis

The Knicks shot 56% from the field and hit 20 threes at a 50% rate in their win over the Wizards, finishing with 134 points. Jalen Brunson led the way with 26 points and 11 assists, knocking down five threes, while Cameron Payne also hit five threes, scoring 17 points on 66.7% shooting.

Brunson scored 14 points in the 3rd quarter, while Payne added 11 in the 4th. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 24 points and 12 rebounds, and OG Anunoby added 9 of his 16 points in the 3rd quarter.

The Knicks held the Wizards to 106 points on Monday, giving up 27 points in both the 1st and 2nd quarters before tightening up in the 3rd, allowing just 21 points. They had a rough 4th, giving up 31 points, but still managed to secure the win.

New York limited Washington’s three-point shooting, allowing just 11 threes on 33% shooting. The Wizards also went 9/16 from the free-throw line. The Knicks grabbed 34 defensive rebounds, while Washington had 12 offensive boards. New York finished with four steals and one block.

The Suns struggled offensively in their 99-point effort against the Magic, shooting just 42.2% from the field and 29.3% from three-point range. Tyus Jones led the way with 18 points, 11 of which came in the first quarter, and he also added eight assists.

Devin Booker and Grayson Allen each contributed 17 points, with Allen hitting four threes at a 44.4% clip. Allen scored 7 points in the 3rd quarter and added six more in the 4th, while Josh Okogie and Oso Ighodaro also made key contributions late, scoring 5 points each in the final period.

The Suns struggled defensively in the 2nd quarter, giving up 38 points, which contributed to their 109-99 loss to the Magic. They did manage to tighten things up in the 3rd, allowing just 20 points. Overall, Phoenix allowed Orlando to shoot 51% from the field.

From beyond the arc, the Suns held the Magic to 11 made threes on 37% shooting. Phoenix also sent Orlando to the line 25 times, where they hit 20 free throws. The Suns finished with 29 defensive rebounds, gave up eight offensive boards, and recorded five steals.

Betting Trends

• Although New York has a straight-up record of 3-7 in their last ten road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 4-6. The team averaged 109 points per game in these games.
• When looking at their past three home matchups, Phoenix has an ATS record of 1-2 while averaging 101 per game. The team went 0-3 overall in these games.
• The last three games that Phoenix was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 0-3 straight up.
• New York has done well both straight up and vs. the spread when favored to win the game, going 4-1 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five games.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

After a great start to the season, the Suns are yet again dealing with injuries this year, as Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal are both out for tonight’s matchup. Phoenix has dropped three straight and is now +5.5 dogs at home vs the Knicks. As for New York, they have gotten themselves back above .500 but have the beneficiary of a soft schedule of late. I see them adding to their win total tonight and covering the spread vs. a Suns squad that won’t have the offensive firepower to keep this close. I like New York at -5.5.