Tip off: 8 PM EST
Spread: OKC -11
Total: 197
M/L: OKC -800, NYK +600
The Knicks are now 6-5, but have received a boost from the return of Mike Bibby. They are still waiting on Baron Davis, but in the interim, rookie Iman Shumpert has not been shy about shooting. In the 94-83 loss to the Grizzlies on Thursday night, Shumpert jacked up 20 shots, hitting only 5. The Knicks were -11 with Shumpert on the floor, and he must improve his shot selection moving forward. Still, only Carmelo Anthony and Bill Walker scored more, with 14 a piece.
Shumpert is seeing big minutes as a rookie, with 31 per game, and is putting up a versatile stat line, of 12.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.4 apg, and 2.4 steals per game. The defensive contribution was expected, but not to this degree.
Carmelo Anthony is day to day with an ankle injury.
The Thunder have looked like the contenders they are and now sit at 10-2, atop the Northwest Division. Last game, they won by 10 over the Hornets and it was their fifth straight victory. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined for 51 points. Durant is averaging 25.7 on the season, which is actually slightly below his career average and roughly 2 points less per game than last season. He is hitting a higher clip from the floor and from three point range, but is getting to the line a little less and also attempting almost two shots a game less as well.
Westbrook has been a little less steady. His scoring is down to 18.8 per game and he is only averaging 5.3 assists per game, compared to his 8.2 per game last season. Most of his stats are the same, though he has been very horrible from three point range (17.4%). Westbrook has a lot of improvements to make in his game before he can get the Thunder to the next level, and between he and James Harden, there may lie the key to the Thunder since Durant’s performance is more or less a given.
Knicks Betting Trends:
New York is 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games and the total has gone UNDER In all 5 of their last 5 games. They are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games and 2-4 ATS in their last 6 road games.
Thunder Betting Trends:
Oklahoma City is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games and the total has gone UNDER In 5 of the Thunder’s last 7 games. The Thunder are 5-1 SU in their last 6 at home and they are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 against New York.
Key Matchups:
Iman Shumpert vs. Russell Westbrook
Shumpert is a premier defender? OK, we’ll find out tonight. Westbrook will make Shumpert work hard, and will attempt 20+ shots when it is all said and done, because he is going to want to go hard at the rookie. Still, Shumpert won’t back down, and you can expect the Georgia Tech product to jack up a few shots himself, as he wasn’t afraid to last game, even in the face of having already missed so many.
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