The New York Knicks will have one of their biggest tests of the year when they take on the scorching hot Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
As everyone finishes digesting their turkey it’s right back to business for the Knicks in this inter-conference clash.
New York has faced some tough opponents already, but they haven’t faced a high-level team, at full strength, playing their very basketball. The Phoenix Suns are 15-3 and have won 14 straight games.
New York Knicks vs. Phoenix Suns betting odds
According to WynnBet, The Knicks enter the game as 4 point home underdogs and the Suns as 4 point road favorites.
The New York Knicks Moneyline is set at +150 and the Phoenix Suns are at -170.
The over/under for the game is set at 216 points.
The Knicks are coming off of a big win against the undermanned Los Angeles Lakers but one in which they squandered an early game 26 point lead.
Consistency, large lapses in their level of play, fall asleep at the end of halves — those issues have yet to be fixed, and it’s not going to work against a team of the Suns’ caliber.
New York Knicks vs. Phoenix Suns prediction:
The last time the Phoenix Suns took on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden it was a classic game.
The Knicks held their own throughout the game until Chris Paul took over late in the game to hit down a few clutch shots.
Chris Paul is going to continue to be a problem. The Knicks aren’t the best equipped to take on opposing point guards of Paul’s caliber.
The New York Knicks starters cannot let the game get out of hand when they start the first and third quarter. Players such as RJ Barrett will need to play at the very top of their game.
I would expect the Knicks to hang in this one, but somewhere in the range of never being able to get stops and consistently trailing by 8-12 points throughout.
This Suns team is in another tier than the Knicks and I’m not sure NY will be the team that can end their winning streak. Expect the Suns to cover.