NEW YORK @ PHOENIX (NYK -5, 224)
NBA ODDS, NBA PREDICTIONS, NBA PREVIEWS
KNICKS @ SUNS 11/20/24
When forward Kevin Durant strained his left calf on November 8, the Phoenix Suns' promising start to the season came to an abrupt end. Prior to Wednesday night's home game against the New York Knicks, the Suns were 8-1 with Durant and had since lost five of their last six games.
Prior to Wednesday, Phoenix had dropped four straight games, including a 109-99 loss to the Orlando Magic at home on Monday. The game saw the team suffer its third double-digit loss since Durant's injury. Guard Bradley Beal (left calf strain) and center Jusuf Nurkic (left ankle sprain) were also sidelined.
Tyus Jones, the point guard, stated that every team experiences difficult times during the 82-game schedule, so he is not worried. Suns coach Mike Budenholzer isn't fazed by the slide because he recognizes how close his team is. However, it's never a good idea to have three starters out. Nurkic is doubtful after missing the last three games, and Beal will miss his fifth straight game tonight.
Devin Booker has attempted to lead the struggling Suns, but his efforts have yielded inconsistent outcomes. In Sunday's 120-117 road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, he scored 44 points on 15-of-29 shooting. In the other three games of the Phoenix's last four games, he averaged just 15.7 points on 13-of-40 shooting (32.5 percent).
New York has won two of its last three games against Phoenix. That comes after losing the nine games in a row against the Suns. The Knicks start a five-game road trip on a three-game winning streak, which gives them extra confidence going into this game.
The Knicks thrashed the visiting Washington Wizards 134-106 on Monday, led by star guard Jalen Brunson, who finished with 26 points, 11 assists, and five three-pointers.
On a night when New York made 20-of-40 three-point field goals, Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 24 points and 12 rebounds. Cameron Payne scored 17 points off the bench and made 5-of-6 long-range attempts. The Knicks only had eight turnovers while dishing out 37 assists.
In his first season with the Knicks, Towns has recorded double-doubles in four consecutive games and 11 of the last 12 games. He was acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves just prior to the start of this season. Miles McBride, the backup guard for the Knicks, will miss his fourth straight game due to a knee injury.
Get free NBA Picks and NBA Predictions for the top games on the weekly 2025 NBA schedule from JA Cavalier, one of the industry's premier expert NBA handicappers. J.A. Cavalier has been bringing the NBA betting community the best NBA free picks and predictions for nearly three decades. Visit daily for the best NBA moneyline and run line odds and game totals.
COACH RICK FREE PICK:
O.G. ANUNOBY OVER 1.5 ASSISTS
Anunoby plays 36 minutes per game and averages 2.2 assists. The Knicks are off after tonight until Saturday. That might mean Anunoby plays closer to 40 minutes which gives him more time to pick up just two dimes. The Suns are basically just Booker and a bunch of other dudes. No Durant, no Beal, no Nurkic. The defense will be soft, especially at the rim. That will give Anunoby’s recipients an easy path to score. Projections put him right around his season average.