NBA Basketball
2010-11-16 - New York Knicks at Denver Nuggets
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States: NBA Basketball
Tuesday 16 November 2010 - Tip-Off 9pm ET
2am (British Standard Time)
Preview
This game has a little more interest in it than would usually be the case for a regular season game in the middle of November. Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets (5-5) was linked with a trade to the New York Knicks (3-7) over the Summer. The trade is still simmering but is unlikely to happen before Christmas, and now the Knicks get to see Anthony a little closer than they would probably like at this moment.
The talk regarding this trade was given more life when Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets toasted Anthony at his wedding and stated they should join up with Amare Stoudemire in the Big Apple. However, for now, Anthony is concentrating in pushing the Nuggets forward as they return home after losing 3 of their last 4 games, all the defeats being on the road.
Al Harrington gets the chance to face his former team here, but he is looking for better performances from himself and the team as they let slip a big lead in the defeat to the Phoenix Suns last night. Carmelo Anthony will hope to continue his recent success against the Knicks, averaging 33 points per game in 9 meetings with them, including scoring 50 points the last time the teams met at the Pepsi Center.
New York would have left Madison Square Garden with the boos still ringing in their ears as they once again let themselves down in the 4th Quarter to lose against Houston. They have given up an average of 110 points per game in their 5 game losing run, the most consecutive losses they have had since dropping 8 straight in February.
The Knicks continue to live and die with their 3 point shooting but will feel happier if Ronny Turiaf can return from injury. This is the opening of a 4 game road trip in the West for New York.
Head to Head
Denver have won 7 of the last 10 meetings between the two teams, although it was New York who won their last game to snap a 4 match losing run to the Nuggets.
Denver are 4-1 straight up in home games with New York, but they are 2-3 against the spread in those games.
The favourite is 14-6 against the spread in their last 20 games.
Prediction
New York have really been struggling in games recently, but it is the late collapses that have not helped their cause at all. This will be a tough opening road test for the team and it is hard to imagine them snapping their 5 game losing run here.
Denver are playing well, but are another team that is failing to put teams away in recent games when building leads. However, they are much stronger at the Pepsi Center than on the road and will be glad to be back home for this game.
It is hard for me to separate the teams in the point spread as New York can be hit and miss with their 3 point shooting, while neither has been playing brilliantly Defensively.
I expect both teams to surpass the 100 points total mark, but I also feel the total points mark of 219 could be a little high if the game is concluded in regulation. Therefore I will take the 'Under 219 Points' as my bet here.
The Pick :
Denver Nuggets 110-102 New York Knicks
