The teams have experienced vastly different weeks heading into this contest, with the Knicks feeling mighty good about themselves and the Nets still looking for answers during Kevin Durant’s absence.

Check the NBA odds as they develop.

Knicks vs. Nets NBA Betting Odds

Perhaps the time is right for New York to finally earn the spoils versus their regional rival. Heading into Saturday’s early evening tilt the Knicks have fallen to the Nets eight consecutive times. The last time the Manhattan-based squad claimed a win was just over three full years ago. New York did not defeat Brooklyn a single time throughout the entirety of 2021 or 2022!

Suffice it to say, the Knicks are a streaky club. That not only concerns their outright win-loss results, but the regularity with which they cover the spread as well. Just a few weeks ago they had successfully covered three in a row only to followup with four straight failures. Now they ride a two-game streak of covers again. Interestingly, those results corrolate with whether they win or lose the match. The last time the results differed was on Jan. 4 when they beat the Spurs but only by four points and thus didn’t cover.

We talked about Brooklyn’s struggles with spreads this season in our Pistons-Nets game preview. In what is becoming a somewhat alarming trend, Brooklyn has failed to cover (and outright win) the last four times they were considered the favourites. Even without KD, pundits still view the club as relatively strong, but they’ve consistently failed to live up to those expectations. As such they sit at a mediocre 24-24 ATS.

New York Knicks

When the dust settles on New York’s campaign, irrespective of how it ends, some nights will be looked back on with pride and joy. Thursday’s test against the conference-leading Celtics will undoubtedly be one of them.

The sides went back and forth all night long. Boston roared to a first-quarter lead courtesy of Jayson Tatum’s brazen drives to the basket and excellent three-point shooting. But on this night Knicks star Julius Randle wanted the last laugh. Randle has been terrific lately and he played one of his signature games of the campaign in a hostile environment. Whether it was jumpers under duress, shooting from long range, or erupting in the paint, he was a force to be reckoned with, and the Celtics simply didn’t. Most major statistical comparisons for the teams were incredibly even, but Randle was the difference maker. He finished with 37 points and nine rebounds. His wingman was Jalen Brunson, who went for 29, seven assists, and four rebounds. The Knicks prevailed in overtime in a breathtaking affair, 120-117.

Brooklyn Nets

Hosting the lowly Pistons sounded like the perfect remedy for a hard-fought defeat against the hated 76ers the night before. Detroit came in with a four-game losing streak, to say nothing of their eight defeats in nine contests.

And yet it was the visitors who looked like the hungrier side. No team can lose indefinitely and the Pistons were determined to end their misery in Brooklyn. They outshot the hosts (50.5 per cent to 45.7 per cent) were better from three-point range (40.7 per cent to 34.2 per cent), had more rebounds, more points in the paint…they basically won everything. The Nets couldn’t handle Saddiq Bey, who rumbled his way to a team-leading 25 points and ensnared nine rebounds. The Pistons received excellent bench contributions as well, with no fewer than three players hitting double-digits, led by Killian Hayes’ 16. The final score line favoured Detroit 130-122, and left Brooklyn wondering what they need to do next.

NBA Prediction: Who Will Win Knicks vs. Nets?

• Regular Season

Knicks Team Leaders

NY

Points	Julius Randle 25.43
Assists	Jalen Brunson 6.17
Rebounds	Julius Randle 10.11
FG%	Jericho Sims 76.9
Steals	Josh Hart 1.39
Blocks	Mitchell Robinson 1.66

BK

Points	Kyrie Irving 27.1
Assists	Spencer Dinwiddie 8.39
Rebounds	Nic Claxton 9.16
FG%	Nic Claxton 70
Steals	Cameron Johnson 1.47
Blocks	Nic Claxton 2.49

• Regular Season

Nets Team Leaders

NY

Points	Julius Randle 25.43
Assists	Jalen Brunson 6.17
Rebounds	Julius Randle 10.11
FG%	Jericho Sims 76.9
Steals	Josh Hart 1.39
Blocks	Mitchell Robinson 1.66

BK

Points	Kyrie Irving 27.1
Assists	Spencer Dinwiddie 8.39
Rebounds	Nic Claxton 9.16
FG%	Nic Claxton 70
Steals	Cameron Johnson 1.47
Blocks	Nic Claxton 2.49

Injuries

New York

Mitchell Robinson (C)

Ques Thurs Knee - 23 / 03 / 23

Jalen Brunson (PG)

Ques Mon Hand - 23 / 03 / 23

Jalen Brunson (PG)

Prob Sat Foot - 10 / 03 / 23

Isaiah Hartenstein (C)

Prob Sat Ankle - 10 / 03 / 23

Jalen Brunson (PG)

Ques Thurs Ankle - 04 / 03 / 23

Evan Fournier (SG)

Prob Sat Illness - 23 / 02 / 23

Svi Mykhailiuk (SG)

Out Fri Acquired - 10 / 02 / 23

Josh Hart (SG)

Prob Sat Acquired - 10 / 02 / 23

RJ Barrett (SF)

Prob Tues Illness - 05 / 02 / 23

Ryan Arcidiacono (PG)

Ques Tues Illness - 02 / 02 / 23

Brooklyn

Dorian Finney-Smith (SF)

Prob Tues Wrist - 20 / 03 / 23

Nic Claxton (C)

Prob Fri Thumb - 08 / 03 / 23

Royce O'Neale (SF)

Prob Fri Knee - 08 / 03 / 23

Spencer Dinwiddie (PG)

Prob Fri Rest - 08 / 03 / 23

Cameron Johnson (PF)

Prob Fri Knee - 08 / 03 / 23

Yuta Watanabe (SG)

Ques Sun Back - 28 / 02 / 23

Edmond Sumner (PG)

Prob Tues Personal - 28 / 02 / 23

Ben Simmons (SG)

Out indefinitely Knee - 23 / 02 / 23

Nic Claxton (C)

Prob Sat Hamstring - 09 / 02 / 23

Day'Ron Sharpe (C)

Prob Thurs Foot - 08 / 02 / 23

Injuries

New York

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Mitchell Robinson (C)	Ques Thurs	Knee - 23 / 03 / 23	2-1	2-1	+ -
Robinson is nursing a right knee contusion, and it is not yet confirmed if he will suit up against the Magic on Thursday.
Jalen Brunson (PG)	Ques Mon	Hand - 23 / 03 / 23	2-1	2-1	+ -
Brunson missed the previous contest with a right hand sprain, and it remains to be seen if he will face off against the Rockets on Monday.
Jalen Brunson (PG)	Prob Sat	Foot - 10 / 03 / 23	2-3	1-4	+ -
Brunson has missed the last three games with a left foot contusion, but he is expected to play on Saturday versus the Nuggets.
Isaiah Hartenstein (C)	Prob Sat	Ankle - 10 / 03 / 23	2-3	1-4	+ -
Hartenstein is nursing left ankle soreness, but it is not expected to impact his status for Saturday's clash with the Clippers.
Jalen Brunson (PG)	Ques Thurs	Ankle - 04 / 03 / 23	4-3	3-4	+ -
Brunson has sat out the previous two games due to a right ankle sprain, and it is unknown if he will suit up for Thursday's clash with the Kings.
Evan Fournier (SG)	Prob Sat	Illness - 23 / 02 / 23	8-3	4-7	+ -
Fournier missed the last game with an illness, but it is projected that he will dress for Saturday's clash versus the Pelicans.
Svi Mykhailiuk (SG)	Out Fri	Acquired - 10 / 02 / 23	10-4	7-8	+ -
Mykhailiuk was recently acquired through a trade, and he will not dress for Friday's clash with the Celtics.
Josh Hart (SG)	Prob Sat	Acquired - 10 / 02 / 23	10-4	7-8	+ -
Hart was recently acquired through a trade, and it is predicted that he will suit up against the Jazz on Saturday.
RJ Barrett (SF)	Prob Tues	Illness - 05 / 02 / 23	11-5	8-9	+ -
Barrett missed the last contest due to an illness, but it is projected that he will suit up against the Magic on Tuesday.
Ryan Arcidiacono (PG)	Ques Tues	Illness - 02 / 02 / 23	12-6	9-10	+ -
Arcidiacono was held out of the previous three games with an illness, and it is unknown if he will take on the Magic on Tuesday.

Brooklyn

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Dorian Finney-Smith (SF)	Prob Tues	Wrist - 20 / 03 / 23	0-2	0-2	+ -
Finney-Smith is hindered by a right wrist contusion, but it is likely that he will be active for Tuesday's clash with the Cavaliers.
Nic Claxton (C)	Prob Fri	Thumb - 08 / 03 / 23	6-0	2-4	+ -
Claxton was held out of the last tilt on account of a right thumb sprain and left Achilles tendinopathy. It is predicted that he will face off with the Timberwolves on Friday.
Royce O'Neale (SF)	Prob Fri	Knee - 08 / 03 / 23	6-0	2-4	+ -
O'Neale missed the previous match with left knee soreness, but it is anticipated that he will participate against the Timberwolves on Friday.
Spencer Dinwiddie (PG)	Prob Fri	Rest - 08 / 03 / 23	6-0	2-4	+ -
Dinwiddie was absent from the last game for rest purposes, but it is forecasted that he will be active Friday versus the Timberwolves.
Cameron Johnson (PF)	Prob Fri	Knee - 08 / 03 / 23	6-0	2-4	+ -
Johnson sat out the last contest while managing right knee soreness, but it is expected that he will suit up for Friday's showdown with the Timberwolves.
Yuta Watanabe (SG)	Ques Sun	Back - 28 / 02 / 23	7-2	4-5	+ -
Watanabe has missed the last three games due to back soreness, and it has yet to be determined if he will dress for Sunday's battle with the Hornets.
Edmond Sumner (PG)	Prob Tues	Personal - 28 / 02 / 23	7-2	4-5	+ -
Sumner has been absent from the last four contests due to a personal matter, but it is projected that he will be available against the Rockets on Tuesday.
Ben Simmons (SG)	Out indefinitely	Knee - 23 / 02 / 23	8-3	5-6	+ -
Simmons is idle with left knee soreness and inflammation in his back. It remains to be seen when he will return to the lineup.
Nic Claxton (C)	Prob Sat	Hamstring - 09 / 02 / 23	10-5	7-8	+ -
Claxton sat out the last game with right hamstring tightness, but it is likely that he will partake in Saturday's tilt versus the 76ers.
Day'Ron Sharpe (C)	Prob Thurs	Foot - 08 / 02 / 23	11-5	8-8	+ -
Sharpe is dealing with right foot soreness, but it is likely that he will face the Bulls on Thursday.