Posted:
#1
This line is a bit confounding.
It is currently Knicks +4. I'm not sure what the books are thinking here but that translates to the Knicks +2 at home. Why? Both teams are 3-6 and right now, I'd take the Knicks roster solely for a hot Melo over the Pistons roster. I'd think we'd all agree on that.
The Knicks are not good. Woodson, Melo and JR Smith are publicly on the record calling out their team and their effort.
But are they really THAT bad???
1. They have 6 losses. Let's look at them.
Lost:
AT the Pacers - by 7 (best in the league)
AT the Bulls - by 1 (good team; very good defense)
Minny by 9 at home (very hot team: KLove doing it all)
AT the Bobcats (no longer the league's doormats; almost won in Chicago tonight; tough out at home. A .500 team before tonight)
Spurs at home by 31 (gave up in the 1stQ to the best in the West)
Houston by 3 at home (Harden, Lin's return, Dwight; bad Melo foul at the end of the game to ice it)
Hawks by 20 at home (Beat the Hawks 3 days earlier on their court and again threw in the towel in 2H)
Folks, despite what even the Knicks say, that is not crap competition right there if examined in depth. I don't want to dismiss all their losses or make excuses for them, but you have the best in the East, the best in the West, the loaded Rockets, a great defensive team on the road, a young, fired-up team suddenly spunky at home, a team that is in a revenge spot a few days later, and a reborn Minny team.
In a word, the Knicks had a rough go of scheduling to open the season.
NOW, who do they get? The below-average Pistons who are spotting them 4. I don't think the Pistons should be giving much of anyone 4 at this point.
2. The Knicks are rested and desperate and going up against a bad team.
The owner made the unusual move a GUARANTEEING a win for the team on 11/13. How did the Knicks do? They responded win a win on the road.
Then the schedule bit them. They had to play the Rockets at home on a B2B the next night and the same Hawks team 2 nights later. Result? 2 losses.
Believe it or not, it favors the Knicks to play on the road right now. There are 'Fire Woodson' chants the reign down from the rafters every home game when the Knicks trail which disrupts the team and coaching staff.
Road game + points? Advantage Knicks.
Chandler out? Not to worry. Defensively the guy isn't the cream of the crop like he used to be and he is a complete liability on offense.
Look for Melo, JR (publicly excoriating the team and must show up to back up their criticisms), Felton, and Bargnani (who is hot of late), and even Shumpert (who is the object of continual trade rumors and may look to prove his worth to the team) to rebound against an average to below average Pistons team who just got stomped by the lowly Lakers and are one of the few teams the Nets have beaten this year.
If the wins don't come VERY soon, heads will roll because Dolan never likes to ruffle feathers publicly which he just did. It was a scheduling glitch that lent to the Knicks dropping the last two. This Pistons team is just what the doctor ordered. If Jennings gets very hot, they will be in trouble but the 4 is too much padding here for a last second Pistons win at worst.
The pick:
KNICKS +4 OVER PISTONS
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