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Free NBA Picks New York Knicks: Season-Long Handicapping and Specialization 12/19/2024

by Spencer Toth - 12/19/2024

Free NBA picks New York Knicks season long handicapping Karl-Anthony Towns

The New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves square off for the first time since their blockbuster trade in the offseason. All season long, Doc’s Sports will provide analysis with the best bets for every New York Knicks weekday game this season. 

The Knicks have had a nice rest due to their elimination from the NBA Cup after they lost to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night last week. New York was dominated on the glass in their 108-100 defeat, allowing 22 offensive rebounds, the third most by any team this season. All five starters scored 13 or more points for New York, but their bench was outscored 43-14. The same problems that have haunted the Knicks all season reappeared against the Hawks, and the Knicks will be eager to set their sights back on the lengthy regular season still ahead. 

From a betting perspective, we went 1-2. Karl-Anthony Towns cashed the Over 1.5 3’s props but was unable to ladder it up to Over 2.5 3’s. We also had the New York Knicks moneyline, which was lost in dramatic fashion. 

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New York bounced back nicely by clamping up the Orlando Magic 100-91 on Sunday afternoon. Jalen Brunson erupted for 31 points, as New York managed to score 100 points despite taking the third-fewest shot attempts in a game this season with just 71. 

Tonight, the Knicks (16-10) continue their three-game road trip with a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves (14-11). This is a key game for both of these teams as they jockey for playoff positioning, but it will mean so much more to both franchises than just a single win. In the offseason, these two championship caliber teams opted to shake things up with a blockbuster trade. Karl-Anthony Towns was abruptly traded from the team that drafted him 9 years ago and sent to the New York Knicks. Minnesota received Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in return as they looked to shake off their postseason demons. Two months later, it became clear who won the trade. Towns has become an essential part of the New York Knicks offense while cleaning up some of his defensive issues at the same time. Head coach Tom Thibodeau has had a big role to play, but Towns needs to be applauded for his willingness to buy into the philosophy of a new team. The depth lost from the departure of DiVincenzo has hurt New York, but the absence of Randle’s ball-hogging tendencies has allowed their other stars to blossom. For the Timberwolves, they have been unable to effectively get DiVincenzo involved, as he is averaging just 8.3 PPG on 35.3% from the floor and 31.9% from deep. Randle hasn’t been bad for the Timberwolves, but he is still a clear downgrade compared to Towns and Minnesota has paid the price for letting their franchise cornerstone go. 

Regardless of the trade, the Timberwolves were expected to be back amongst the leaders of the Western Conference. Their 14-11 start is nothing to scoff at, but an uber-competitive West means they are currently in the play-in tournament positions. Anthony Edwards is still the leader of this team, but the lack of explosive dunks from the youngster has turned the Timberwolves into a difficult watch. They are a slow and defensive team that relies on Rudy Gobert clogging up the paint to win basketball games. Towns and Edwards played great offense together during their time in Minnesota, and Randle has been unable to replicate the mobility Towns brought onto the court. 

New York does a great job at luring the big men out of the paint, and it will be fascinating to see how they handle Gobert. Gobert is one of, if not the, best, defenders in the league, but he can still struggle in isolation in the open court. His ability to read the game and double-team when necessary is what makes him great, but I’m expecting a big game from Towns and Brunson to be the real difference maker. Towns and Gobert have practiced against each other for thousands of hours and the pair know each other extremely well. Towns will be able to provide insight on how to unlock the Minnesota defense, and a fully healthy Knicks lineup will thrive. 

For the first bet of the evening, we will be attacking the huge odds available on the Knicks moneyline. New York is a +120 underdog in Minnesota, but they can absolutely beat the Timberwolves. Minnesota has been unable to stop teams with good ball movement, and there is no shortage of scoring depth on the Knicks starting five. Players like OG Anunoby and Josh Hart are in the team to defend, but they are still capable of knocking down deep shots with great consistency when left open. This will be a slow-paced, methodical game that actually could favor the Knicks. New York’s set defense is difficult to break down, and the Knicks struggle allowing easy points in the transition game. Both these teams will value every possession, and the slower the game goes, the better it is for the Knicks. 

The juicy moneyline will be the primary bet of the night, but we will also sprinkle on Donte DiVincenzo to find offensive success. DiVincenzo left the Knicks in search of more playtime, and he will look to prove that the Knicks were wrong in letting him walk. He has struggled this season, but a shallow Knicks bench should allow him to eclipse his 7.5-point line. He has been taking plenty of shots, and when his shooting regresses back to the mean, he shouldn’t have a problem clearing this line. Expect his usual 5-9 shot attempts to be the bare minimum as he faces off against his former team. 

Pick: New York Knicks Moneyline +120 8 Units

Pick: Donte DiVincenzo Over 7.5 Points 3 Units

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