Nets vs Knicks

Jalen Brunson leads a Knicks team that, despite a four-game losing streak, still sits 25-18 and third in the East with a 16-6 record at Madison Square Garden, while the Nets limp in at 12-29, 13th in the conference, having dropped two straight and gone just 2-8 over their last ten including a 126-117 home loss to Phoenix. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401810477/nets-knicks)) New York has dominated the season series 2-0 with wins by 36 and 13 points, and with Brunson (28.1 PPG) and Karl-Anthony Towns anchoring a top-tier offense against a Nets group that scores only 109.0 PPG and leans heavily on Michael Porter Jr. for shot creation, the talent gap is stark even before considering Brooklyn’s frontcourt depth issues with Day’Ron Sharpe listed as questionable and Haywood Highsmith out. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401810477/nets-knicks)) With the Knicks eager to halt their skid and protect top-four seeding while the Nets face an uphill climb just to stay on the fringes of the play-in race, laying -600 on the New York moneyline is a high-likelihood but low-return position that I grade as a B for strong safety but modest value. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 21/01/2026 09:44

Michael Porter Jr. drives a Nets offense that has been involved in plenty of shootouts lately, including a 126-117 loss to the Suns, and now faces a Knicks squad averaging 117.9 points per game but conceding 114.9 as their defense has slipped during a four-game skid. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401810465?utm_source=openai)) The first two meetings between these teams finished 134-98 and 113-100 (average 222 points), and with New York’s primary scorers Brunson and Towns healthy plus Brooklyn’s spacing from Porter Jr., Noah Clowney and their young guard core, this matchup sets up for another uptempo night against a Nets defense allowing 114.3 PPG and struggling on the glass. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401810477/nets-knicks)) Given both teams’ recent form, offensive firepower at the top of the rosters, and the likelihood of extended garbage-time scoring if the spread gets out of hand, I lean to Over 224.5 at -110 with a B- grade, acknowledging decent upside but some volatility if the Knicks’ defense finally clamps down. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 21/01/2026 09:44

Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby headline a Knicks front line that already helped New York cover comfortably in both prior meetings with Brooklyn this season, winning 134-98 at home and 113-100 on the road, and they now draw a Nets team that has lost nine of eleven in January and ranks near the bottom of the East with a -5.3 point differential. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401810477/nets-knicks)) While Michael Porter Jr. gives Brooklyn a legitimate go-to scorer, the Nets’ offense is inconsistent on the road (6-13), they may again be thin up front with Sharpe not fully healthy, and their defense has struggled to contain stretch bigs and attacking guards like Brunson, who is scoring 28.1 PPG for a Knicks team that is 16-6 at home and fighting to maintain top-three seeding. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401810477/nets-knicks)) Double-digit spreads always carry backdoor risk—especially if New York eases off late—so while the matchup and motivation lean toward another decisive Knicks win, I rate laying -11.5 at -110 as a C+ play: reasonable value if the Garden crowd fuels a statement performance, but appreciably less certain than the moneyline. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 21/01/2026 09:44