Madison Square Garden is the center of the NBA world on Monday afternoon as the New York Knicks host the Phoenix Suns for a matinee battle between struggling clubs. Each team has lost five of the last six games, with the Knicks sitting at 19-18 and the Suns at 20-17 through 37 games. Devin Booker (groin) and Cameron Johnson (knee) are out for the Suns. RJ Barrett (finger) and Obi Toppin (fibula) are out for the Knicks, with Jalen Brunson (hip) listed as questionable.
New York is listed as a 1.5-point home favorite, and tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 218 in the latest Suns vs. Knicks odds. Before you make any NBA predictions with the Knicks vs. Suns match-up, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four-plus seasons. The model enters Week 11 of the 2022-23 NBA season on a stunning 33-13 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning almost $1,800. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Suns and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Suns vs. Knicks:
- Suns vs. Knicks spread: Knicks -1.5
- Suns vs. Knicks over/under: 218 points
- Suns vs. Knicks money line: Knicks -125, Suns +105
- PHX: The Suns are 8-10 against the spread on the road
- NYK: The Knicks are 6-10-2 against the spread at home
- Suns vs. Knicks picks: See picks at SportsLine
Featured Game | New York Knicks vs. Phoenix Suns
Why the Suns can cover
Phoenix has strengths on both sides of the ball. The Suns are elite on offense, scoring 1.16 points per possession with top-six marks in the NBA in offensive rebound rate (32.1%), 3-pointers per game (13.3), 3-point accuracy (38.6%), and assists (26.9 per game).
On the other end, Phoenix is holding opponents to fewer than 1.13 points per possession, and the Suns are in the top five in 3-pointers allowed (10.9 per game) and assists allowed (23.1 per game). Phoenix creates 15.4 turnovers per game and blocks 5.4 shots per game, and the Suns are facing a Knicks offense that has clear shortcomings. New York is No. 25 in the NBA in field goal percentage, No. 26 in 3-point percentage, and No. 24 in assists per game.
Why the Knicks can cover
The Knicks are led by a red-hot player in Julius Randle, who is averaging 29.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game over the last 13 contests. Randle has a sparkling 61.7% true shooting mark over that sample, and he is averaging 24.1 points and 9.7 rebounds per game for the full season. The Knicks are in the top 10 of the NBA in offensive and defensive efficiency, with New York leading the league in second-chance points (17.6 per game) on offense.
The Knicks are in the top six of the league in offensive rebound rate, free throw creation, and turnover avoidance, with Phoenix ranking second-worst in the league in free throw prevention on defense. On the defensive side, the Knicks rank in the top five of the NBA in field goal percentage allowed, 3-point percentage allowed and points allowed in the paint.
How to make Knicks vs. Suns picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 228 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in more than 60% of simulations. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Suns vs. Knicks? And which side of the spread hits in more than 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.