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Free NBA Picks New York Knicks: Season-Long Handicapping and Specialization 12/9/2024

by Spencer Toth - 12/9/2024

Free NBA picks New York Knicks season long handicapping Scottie Barnes Toronto Raptors

The New York Knicks take their first trip North of the border this season, heading to Toronto to take on the Raptors. The Knicks will be looking ahead to their NBA Cup matchup on Wednesday, but they cannot afford to take a feisty Raptors team lightly tonight. You’ve found the right place for all your New York Knicks betting needs, as Doc’s Sports will be breaking down every weekday Knicks game this season. 

On Thursday night, the Knicks stretched their win streak to four games with their 125-101 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. All five starters for the Knicks scored 18 or more points, as New York took advantage of injuries to the Hornets starters. LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges both missed the game, but the Knicks still had to take care of business, and they did. 

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From a betting perspective, we went 0-3. We took the Knicks 1H -8.5 over the Knicks game spread of -14.5, but New York only won the first half by a couple of buckets. The worst beat of the night was on Tidjane Salaun to score over 7.5 points and 10+. Salaun scored 4 points in the first 2 minutes of the game, but then promptly sprained his ankle and missed the rest of the contest. 

The Knicks had their win streak snapped on Saturday night, losing to the Pistons 120-111. Cade Cunningham had a 29-point triple double, and the Pistons shot 50% from behind the arc. Jalen Brunson had a productive night, scoring 31 points in an incredible 44 minutes of action. 

Tonight, the New York Knicks (14-9) visit the Toronto Raptors (7-17). The Raptors are struggling this season and are currently sitting well outside a playoff spot as a result. They lost Scottie Barnes for 11 games due to an orbital fracture and went 2-9 over that span. While Toronto has been unable to win games this season, they have been the third-best team in the NBA at covering spreads. Their 16-8 against the spread mark is largely because 10 of their 17 losses have come by 7 or fewer points. Toronto is once again a 6-point home underdog tonight, but this is a game that is expected to go right down to the wire. They’ve gone 5-5 straight up in their last 10 games, including victories over the Heat, Timberwolves, and Pacers (2x). 

Toronto and New York pulled off a blockbuster trade last season, sending OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa to the Knicks in exchange for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, among other assets. Quickley has dealt with injury issues this season, but Barrett is proving to be a crucial player for the Raptors future. His ability to command the floor with Barnes has given the Raptors some life. And now that Toronto is getting healthy, this team could be dangerous. On the other hand, the Knicks will be thrilled with their return. Anunoby has turned into a crucial member of the Knicks championship caliber team, as his impact on both ends of the court is noticeable. Achiuwa also dealt with injury issues, but he is healthy once again and is the perfect backup for Karl-Anthony Towns. 

It has been no secret around the league the impact Scottie Barnes can make when on the floor, but the real superstars for the Raptors this season have been RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl. Barrett is posting career highs in PPG (23.3), Rebounds (6.6), and Assists (5.9) this season. He hasn’t shied away from taking crucial shots in the fourth quarter, and he is still just 24 years old. On the other end of the spectrum, the Raptors will be pleased with the development of Poeltl. The trade to pick up Poeltl for a first-round pick last season was rightfully criticized and could still have major implications on the Raptors rebuild. However, what Poeltl has done this season for Toronto both on and off the court has been noticeable. Poeltl has become a real inspiration for a team filled with youngsters. He has stepped up his own game with 16.2 PPG and 11.6 rebounds and is the perfect player Toronto wants in their locker room. 

New York won all four meetings between these two teams last season but went just 2-6 in the two years prior. This figures to be a tight battle in Toronto, and the possible absence of Karl-Anthony Towns looms large. Towns missed the Knicks game against the Pistons on the weekend, and New York is already shallow at center with Mitchell Robinson still injured. Jericho Sims played only 6 minutes, leaving Precious Achiuwa as the primary big man. If Towns is unable to play tonight, Poeltl will have a field day inside against undersized Achiuwa and lackluster Sims. The Raptors have proven time and time again they can compete at home. And now that they are getting healthy, the +6 point spread is extremely tempting. The Raptors are lacking the star power the Knicks have on their roster, but they still possess capable scorers and a relentless attitude on defense. Barnes and Barrett will continue to get better the more they play together, and the Knicks are simply not as ruthless without a healthy Towns in the lineup. He is currently questionable. However, with an NBA Cup game in two days, combined with the fact he missed Saturday’s game, it’s hard to count on his participation. If Towns does suit up, we will be taking his Over 1.5 and Over 2.5 threes instead. Poeltl plays lots of drop coverage, and Towns will happily shoot from deep whenever he finds himself open. A lingering knee issue could play a big role,, meaning Towns could elect to stay behind the arc even more frequently than usual. 

For the second bet of the night, we will be taking Scottie Barnes over 37.5 P+R+A. Barnes has been the primary ball handler with Quickley hurt and has had 7 or more assists in his last 8 games (an average of 8.9 per game). He is always a relentless rebounder and has found his stroke from deep at home, scoring multiple triples in five straight at home. This is his 9th game since his injury, and a healthy dosage of minutes will allow him to cover this line. 

(If Towns sits) Pick: Toronto Raptors (+6), play to (+4) 3 Units

(If Towns plays): Pick: Karl Anthony Towns Over 1.5 3’s -190 3 Units

(If Towns plays): Pick: Karl Anthony Towns Over 2.5 3’s +150 1 Unit

Pick: Scottie Barnes Over 37.5 Points + Assists + Rebounds 4 Units

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