PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* EARLY TOTAL MASSACRE >> Noon ET! 14-5 L19 NBA!
(NBA) Atlanta vs. New York,
Total: 210.00 | -109.00 Under
Result: Loss
Total: 210.00 | -109.00 Under
Result: Loss
The set-up: It's a 12 noon ET tip-off at Madison Square Garden Sunday afternoon, as the 9-3 Atlanta Hawks take on the 5-7 NY Knicks. The Hawks lost Al Horford to the Celtics in free agency but brought in Dwight Howard as his replacement and so far, so good. Horford's only played three games for the Celtics, while Howard is averaging 14.4 & 12.9. Atlanta traded PG Jeff Teague to Indiana and promoted Dennis Schroder to take his place, with Schroder becoming Atlanta's second-leading scorer (15.7 PPG) while also leading the team with 5.9 APG. There were big changes in New York as well, adding three new starters in PG Rose and center Noah from Chicago plus SG Lee from Charlotte and Jennings (from Orlando) to come off the bench. However, the 5-7 Knicks hardly look like a playoff contender so far.
Atlanta: The Hawks are clearly one of the early season surprises. PF Paul Millsap (17.3 & 8.0) leads the team in scoring, one which ranks 2nd in the NBA in FG percentage (47.9%). Atlanta is second in assists (26.2 per) and first in turnovers forced (17.6 per), which is helped by them being second in steals (10.2 per). Dwight Howard has resurrected his career in Atlanta after several so-so seasons with the Houston Rockets and one year with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 31-year-old center is fourth in the league in field-goal percentage (60.6%), third in rebounding (12.9) and already has posted nine double-doubles.
New York: Head coach Jeff Hornacek in his first season with the Knicks but is still searching for a way to blend his new pieces with Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis. ‘Melo averages 22.3 & 5.5 and Porzingis is averaging 20.8 & 6.8. He's 7-3 and is listed as a power forward but with his ability to hit mid to long-range jumpers, score on tip-ins and dunks and run the floor like a gazelle, has created headaches for opposing coaches and their players.He is making 49.2% from the floor, including 40.0% on threes. Meanwhile, Derrick Rose scored a season-high 27 points on Thursday but it marked the sixth time in as many occasions that New York has lost when he scored 16 points or more. Fellow former Chicago Bull Joakim Noah (4.3 & 8.9) continues to struggle as well and has scored in double figures just once in the first 12 games.
The pick: Atlanta looked like it was headed toward a seventh straight win on Friday but then Howard was ejected midway through the fourth quarter for throwing an elbow at the head of Hornets center Cody Zeller and the Hawks lost, 100-96. I like the way the Hawks are playing on the offensive end plus the Knicks are not much of a defensive team, ranking 21st in both points allowed and opponents' FG percentage. The Over is a 10* play.
Atlanta: The Hawks are clearly one of the early season surprises. PF Paul Millsap (17.3 & 8.0) leads the team in scoring, one which ranks 2nd in the NBA in FG percentage (47.9%). Atlanta is second in assists (26.2 per) and first in turnovers forced (17.6 per), which is helped by them being second in steals (10.2 per). Dwight Howard has resurrected his career in Atlanta after several so-so seasons with the Houston Rockets and one year with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 31-year-old center is fourth in the league in field-goal percentage (60.6%), third in rebounding (12.9) and already has posted nine double-doubles.
New York: Head coach Jeff Hornacek in his first season with the Knicks but is still searching for a way to blend his new pieces with Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis. ‘Melo averages 22.3 & 5.5 and Porzingis is averaging 20.8 & 6.8. He's 7-3 and is listed as a power forward but with his ability to hit mid to long-range jumpers, score on tip-ins and dunks and run the floor like a gazelle, has created headaches for opposing coaches and their players.He is making 49.2% from the floor, including 40.0% on threes. Meanwhile, Derrick Rose scored a season-high 27 points on Thursday but it marked the sixth time in as many occasions that New York has lost when he scored 16 points or more. Fellow former Chicago Bull Joakim Noah (4.3 & 8.9) continues to struggle as well and has scored in double figures just once in the first 12 games.
The pick: Atlanta looked like it was headed toward a seventh straight win on Friday but then Howard was ejected midway through the fourth quarter for throwing an elbow at the head of Hornets center Cody Zeller and the Hawks lost, 100-96. I like the way the Hawks are playing on the offensive end plus the Knicks are not much of a defensive team, ranking 21st in both points allowed and opponents' FG percentage. The Over is a 10* play.
