New Jersey Nets at New York Knicks, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Wednesday, March 30, 2011, 7:30 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN
Opening Line: Knicks -8.5
Current Line: Knicks -8.5
Opening Total: 204
Current Total: 204.5
Money Line: Knicks -450 / Nets +370
Carmelo Anthony finally helped the New York Knicks (36-38) end their six-game losing streak with a 113-106 overtime victory against Orlando on Monday and will try to make it two wins in a row when they visit the New Jersey Nets (23-50) on Wednesday. Anthony was being courted by both the Knicks (-8.5) and Nets before ultimately landing in the Big Apple prior to the trade deadline, leading New York to a disappointing 8-12 record both straight-up and against the spread since his arrival.
The former Syracuse great scored 33 of his game-high 39 points against the Magic after halftime and also finished with a team-high 10 rebounds, taking advantage of the absence of Orlando’s Dwight Howard after he fouled out of the game. Anthony had called it a “must-win game” and is averaging over 28 points in the last six games. Howard finished with a team-high 29 points and a game-high 18 rebounds but also picked up his league-leading 17th technical foul.
New Jersey will face the player the team coveted the most for the first time since he became a Knick and probably do so without All-Star point guard Deron Williams, who ended up being the consolation prize. The Nets acquired Williams after their offer to Denver for Anthony was rejected, but the new addition will likely be out for the seventh straight game due to a wrist injury.
Without Williams, New Jersey has dropped six of seven and three in a row. The Nets have also failed to reach the century mark in scoring in their past nine games with the UNDER going 7-2 during that stretch. The UNDER is also 7-2 in their last nine meetings with New York.
The Knicks have won five of the last seven games against New Jersey both SU and ATS. Their defense remains a major concern though under head coach Mike D’Antoni, surrendering 100 or more points in five of their last six games overall. The team sits in seventh place in the Eastern Conference playoff race, two games behind Philadelphia.
New York’s main goal will be to stop Nets center Brook Lopez, who scored 22 points in a 112-87 home loss to Houston on Tuesday. Lopez scored a season-high 36 in a 111-100 setback at Madison Square Garden back on November 30 and totaled 19 in the rematch on February 12, resulting in a 105-95 loss. He has averaged 20.4 points in five career games at the Garden.
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