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Free NBA Picks New York Knicks: Season-Long Handicapping and Specialization 2/1/2024

by Spencer Toth - 2/1/2024

Free NBA picks New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers Tyrese Haliburton

You have found the right place for all your NBA betting needs, as Doc’s Sports will be breaking down every single New York Knicks game this season and providing best bets along the way. We won’t always elect to back the Knicks. However, by using in-depth knowledge of the Knicks, and the league as a whole, we will be able to churn a consistent profit by the season’s end.

On Tuesday night, the Knicks took down the Utah Jazz 118-103, for their 8th straight victory. New York turned the ball over just 5 times compared to the Jazz’s 14 turnovers and were able to effectively use those extra possessions to secure the victory. Donte DiVincenzo has stepped up as the second offensive option with Julius Randle and OG Anunoby sidelined with injuries, and he scored 33 points while shooting a sizzling 9/15 from deep against Utah.

From a betting perspective, we had a perfect 2-0 night. The Knicks easily covered the 4.5 point spread in their victory, and the total stayed well Under 228.5 points, cashing both of our bets. The elite Knicks defense carried them to the best January record in the NBA, as they went 14-2 to open up 2024. New York allowed exactly 100 PPG in the month of January, as the Anunoby trade instantly elevated their defense, and has allowed them to shoot up the Eastern Conference standings.

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Tonight, the Knicks (31-17) welcome the Indiana Pacers (27-21) to Madison Square Garden. Indiana got off to a red-hot start to the season thanks to a dominant offense but has seen the wheels fall off in recent weeks. Through the first month of the season, Indiana led the league in PPG by a wide margin, but they were also allowing the most points in the NBA. Their 7-4 record was a solid representation of their skill level, and they were able to build on their offensive dominance and rode it out to a 23-15 record earlier this month. However, they’ve gone just 4-6 in their last 10 games, and have lost 5 of their last 6 away from home. They still own the best offensive rating in the league, with the 26th ranked defense, and will be a fantastic test for the revamped Knicks defensive unit. Tyrese Haliburton has spearheaded their solid offense, but his in and out status in the lineup has disrupted the chemistry the Pacers worked so hard to build. For tonight’s trip to New York, Halliburton is questionable once again, with Benedict Mathurin and TJ McConnell joining him on the injury report.

New York has everything they need to extend their win streak to 9 games, as even with Randle on the sidelines, their defense has held firm, and Jalen Brunson continues to do a solid job on the offensive end of the floor. Brunson came to New York in last year’s offseason, and through the first year and a half of his tenure, the results couldn’t be better. New York was looking for a co-star to aid Randle, and the reins to the team have arguably been handed over to Brunson himself. While Randle is on the sidelines for the next few weeks, Brunson will need to be on his A game if the Knicks are to remain near the summit of the Eastern Conference.

Joining Brunson in the backcourt is DiVincenzo, who has stepped up in Randle’s absence. DiVincenzo has scored 28, and 33 points in his last 2 games, which are the second and third highest totals for him this season. His ability to heat up from behind the arc has led New York to a pair of victories, but the streaky nature of 3-point shooters leaves him needing to expand his game before he can move up the pecking order in New York. The lack of a mid-range makes him a predictable guard. And while when he’s open he’s almost automatic, he relies on his teammates to set him up with an open shot to succeed. Luckily for him, Brunson is extremely talented at keeping his head up when he’s driving to the hoop and has been able to consistently find his new favorite shooter behind the arc.

In tonight’s matchup, the Knicks are coming in as slight 3.5-point favorites, and I’m extremely confused. While I may sound like a broken record consistently tailing the Knicks, when the spreads are not showing them the respect they deserve, I will continue to do so. New York has won 8 straight games, covering in 7 of them, yet are still barely favored against a struggling, banged up Pacers team, who is just 11-12 on the road. While I know the loss of Randle, and the questionable status of Anunoby, is what is keeping this line down, the Knicks have shown they can clamp down on the defensive end, and put together their 7th double digit win in their last 9 games. Indiana relies on being able to shred their opponents on offense to compensate for their horrendous defensive efforts, and that simply won’t be enough against the defensively adept Knicks franchise. Indiana may have beaten the Knicks 140-126 to close out 2023, but that was in the middle of the Knicks trade with the Raptors, ensuring Anunoby didn’t play, but RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley were already on the plane to Toronto. The Knicks may not be fully healthy, but they have enough of a lineup to dispatch the Pacers, and improve their home record to 18-5, covering the short spread in the process.

The total is sitting at a whopping 236 points, which is the highest total for a Knicks game in the last 13 appearances. It’s understandable that the Pacers are bringing a high total with them, but it feels as though the bookies are expecting the Knicks to abandon defense and play the Pacers game. At home, New York will still be able to clamp down on the defensive end, and considering they’ve gone Under the total in 14 of their 16 games in January, I expect them to do so once again. Indiana will almost certainly eclipse the 100 PPG the Knicks have been allowing, but expecting a 120+ total from either team feels like a stretch.

Finally, we’ll be taking Anunoby Under 19.5 Points. Anunoby is questionable with an elbow injury on his shooting arm. If he does suit up, I expect his focus to be on the defensive end, and for a possible elbow aggravation to impact his stroke. He’s gone under this total in 12 of the 14 games he’s played in a Knick uniform, and while the Pacers defense is certainly generous, the line, coupled with a possible injury has me confident in taking his Under.

Pick: New York Knicks (-3.5) 2 Units

Pick: Knicks vs Pacers Under 236 1 Unit

Pick: OG Anunoby Under 19.5 points 2 Units

2023-24 Season record:

ML Record: 9-4

Spread Record: 13-13

Total Record: 11-7

Player Props Record: 13-23

Total: 46-47

Down 5.3 Units

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