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Free NBA Picks New York Knicks: Season-Long Handicapping and Specialization 11/12/2024

by Spencer Toth - 11/12/2024

Free NBA picks New York Knicks season long handicapping Joel Embiid Philadelphia 76ers

You’ve found the right place for all your New York Knicks betting needs. All season long, Doc’s Sports will be providing best bets for each and every weekday NBA game featuring the New York Knicks. By using knowledge on the Knicks and the league as a whole, we will be able to churn a consistent profit. The Knicks are playing their first NBA Cup game of the season, and the stakes couldn’t be higher in the opening Group A game. 

On Friday Night, the Knicks smacked the Bucks 116-94 in a crucial home victory. Karl-Anthony Towns erupted for 32 points, as he has truly taken over as the primary scoring option. The Knicks ran a tight rotation as expected, with all their starters playing 30+ minutes despite the lopsided scoreline. 

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From a betting perspective, we went 1-1. The Knicks had no problems covering the -7 point spread in the win, but Towns wasn’t able to clear the Over 1.5 Steals and Blocks line on Friday. 

On Sunday night, the Knicks lack of depth was exposed in their 132-121 defeat against the Pacers. It was a close game throughout, but the Knicks ran out of steam down the stretch against Indiana. Towns and Jalen Brunson scored 30 and 33 points respectively, but the Knicks bench was unable to get them over the line.

Tonight, the Knicks (4-5) look to get back on track in their first NBA Cup game of the season against the 76ers (2-7). If you thought the Knicks slow start was concerning, the 76ers have been even worse. Philadelphia has lost to the Clippers, Pistons, Raptors, and Bucks already this season, and most of those games weren’t even close. Paul George missed the opening games of the season, but his injection into the starting lineup wasn’t enough to turn the tides. Tyrese Maxey is now out for the next several weeks, but the 76ers are getting a massive lift with the return of the 2023 MVP to their lineup. 

The absence of Joel Embiid has loomed large, but he is expected to make his season debut against the Knicks tonight. Embiid has been an unstoppable force on the offensive end, improving on his PPG in five consecutive seasons. It will be difficult to top the 34.7 PPG from last year, as that was the 15th most PPG in NBA history had Embiid played enough games to qualify. A common criticism about Embiid is that he is searching for a trip to the free throw line rather than trying to score on every possession. While that may be true, and annoying for the casual NBA fan, there is no doubting its effectiveness. Once the Cameroon native gets a head of steam heading towards the rim, the only option is to foul him or allow an easy two points. The Knicks don’t have the depth at center to overcome Towns' potential early departure due to foul accumulation. While the Knicks have gotten unlucky to have to play Embiid tonight, he will likely be eased back into NBA action and is unlikely to play his usual minutes against New York. 

This is a massive NBA Cup matchup. The Knicks and 76ers were expected to be the favorites of their group that also features the Nets, Magic, and Hornets. The round robin format ensures the winner of this game will take a stranglehold of first place in the group, and the automatic qualification that goes with it. New York and Philadelphia have fallen short of expectations this season, but a victory tonight would get them back on track for the rest of the year. 

There is no denying the talent on the Knicks starting five, but their lack of depth has come back to haunt them game after game. Miles McBride is a fantastic sixth man, but head coach Tom Thibodeau would rather not have to play Jericho Sims or rookie Tyler Kolek. A six-man rotation is not feasible in the modern-day NBA, and the 76ers have the depth needed to expose New York. Brunson and Towns have been fantastic on offense, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart have been defensive anchors, and Mikal Bridges has done a good job on both ends of the court. There is no doubt about the Knicks starters, but they will struggle against legitimate competition due to their bench unit. 

In tonight’s matchup, Towns and Embiid will be taking center stage during their battle in the paint. Towns has proven he can put on a show offensively, but how he handles someone like Embiid defensively will shed light on the ceiling for the Knicks this season. Embiid has dealt with injury concerns over the last several years, but he must be healthy if the 76ers are bringing him back onto the court. Embiid has yet to suit up with new teammate Paul George this season, as the duo has a lot of ground to make up if they hope to climb back up the Eastern Conference standings. 

For the first bet of the evening, we will be taking Towns to have his way with Embiid in the paint and eclipse 23.5 points. He has scored 30+ points in three consecutive games, and it’s a little surprising to see his points this low. Embiid isn’t the greatest defender in the league, and he will likely be more focused on making an impact on offense than clamping down against Towns. 76ers backup Andre Drummond is on the wrong side of 30 and won’t cause Towns too many issues. 

The spread is set at -2 points in favor of the Knicks. And while they could certainly pull off the victory, we will look elsewhere as an energetic 76ers crowd and deep 76ers bench has the potential to pull off the upset. For the second bet of the night, we will be taking Caleb Martin to haul in over 4.5 rebounds. Martin is averaging 6.0 rebounds per game this season and will find himself in and around the hoop all night long. Josh Hart loves to get involved on the glass, and Martin will have no choice but to follow him under the hoop. The +100 odds on Martin to get five or more boards is way too good to pass up.

Pick: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 23.5 Points 5 Units

Pick: Caleb Martin Over 4.5 Rebounds +100 4 Units

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