The Phoenix Suns and the New York Knicks will meet at Footprint Center on Wednesday night, as Devin Booker and company look to end their four-game losing streak. Tipoff is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET, with the game airing on ESPN.
The Suns are struggling in the absence of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, and with both players sidelined on Wednesday, my top Knicks vs. Suns predictions and NBA picks are not expecting them to break their losing streak.
Knicks vs Suns SGP - November 20
Mikal Bridges 20+ points
Mikal Bridges 3+ threes
Knicks moneyline
When it comes to slowing down the New York Knicks' offense, it's all about containing Jalen Brunson. The problem for the Phoenix Suns is determining who in their backcourt can take on that responsibility.
Tyus Jones is not a strong defender by any means — he would get cooked by Brunson. And are you really going to ask Devin Booker to guard Brunson on one end while carrying the entire offensive load on the other?
The Suns’ limited defensive options are likely to result in favorable matchups for Mikal Bridges on the offensive end. I’m targeting the alternate 20+ points line for Bridges because it’s highly attainable based on the numbers.
The actual total of 15.5 points is too low, as Bridges is projected for 18.6 points, with a minutes projection of 36. Given that the Knicks don’t play again until Saturday, we could see a classic Tom Thibodeau move, with Bridges logging closer to 40 minutes. If that happens, the price point for 20+ points, which is already a steal, becomes even more attractive.
Brunson’s ability to penetrate and collapse the Suns’ defense will likely be a major issue for Phoenix, creating opportunities for Bridges. Every time Brunson drives the lane, it could open up corner threes for Bridges. Additionally, Bridges has some familiarity with the shooting backdrop in Phoenix and likely hasn’t forgotten being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the Kevin Durant deal.
The final leg of the parlay is the Knicks' moneyline. The Suns are built to win games with just enough defense and a ton of offense, but they’re missing key pieces in Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. On top of that, they lack the defensive matchups to slow down the Knicks. Jusuf Nurkic, a solid defender, is questionable due to injury and hasn’t been playing well recently.
The Suns are reeling, and facing the Knicks in a spot where Thibodeau can lean heavily on his starters isn’t going to help their cause.
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