Filip Tomic
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The weekend is just around the corner and what better way to prepare than with another 8-game slate in the NBA? I’m looking for another big win after cashing Wednesday’s NBA mega parlay at +789 odds. ESPN has a doubleheader coming our way and my focus is on the New York Knicks vs Phoenix Suns clash. Tip-off is set for 10:00 pm ET, so check out my Knicks vs Suns Same Game Parlay below. For picks on the side and total for tonight’s games, make sure you check out our NBA predictions.
Julius Randle to score 25+ points (-110)
Jalen Brunson to record 6+ assists (-180)
Devin Booker 2+ made threes (-230)
Jusuf Nurkic to record 10+ rebounds (-180)
Same Game Parlay odds: +516
Julius Randle to score 25+ points (-110)
The Knicks have just 1 victory in their past 4 games, but the poor form isn’t because of the play of Julius Randle. After his slow start to the season, Randle has really picked it up as of late and is coming off back-to-back 30+ point performances. He even had a 41-point game against the Bucks a little over a week ago, so I feel really good backing him to get at least 25 points tonight.
In the first meeting of the season between these teams at MSG, he finished with 28 points, and has cleared this line 3 times in the last 4 meetings with the Suns. With the Suns’ big 3 of Durant, Booker and Beal finally making its debut, they struggled on the defensive end against Brooklyn a couple of days ago, losing that game as 5-point favorites. I expect more of the same in the coming games until they get accustomed to sharing the defensive responsibilities. Randle should be able to get to his average here.
Jalen Brunson to record 6+ assists (-180)
Brunson’s scoring has taken a dip in the last week or so but he has been compensating for it by getting his teammates involved. So far this month, his three-point shooting has plummeted to just 20%, compared to 48.5% in November, so I’d stay away from those types of bets until he gets his rhythm back. As for the assists, he has cleared this line in 11 of 13 games and is coming off 8 and 9 dimes in his last 2 games against Toronto and Utah.
Against Phoenix, Brunson has had 6 and 8 assists in the past 2 meetings, while also scoring 35 points a little over 2 weeks ago against them at MSG. Bradley Beal isn’t known for his elite defense (to put it lightly), and with him just returning from injury, he should have a hard time staying in front of Brunson here. I expect Brunson to clear this line fairly easily.
Devin Booker 2+ made threes (-230)
Despite getting only 15 shots up against the Nets, Booker was still able to crack the 30-point mark and finished with 34. It was his 4th game of at least 28 points in his last 5 outings, and it looks like the ankle and calf injuries are a thing of the past. So far in December, he’s upped his three-point efficiency by more than 7% on 4.6 attempts per game. He’s also cleared this line in 3 straight and in 4 of the last 5. Although he went just 1-for-4 from three at MSG earlier in the season, he came up big in the clutch and was one of the key reasons why Phoenix came out of New York with a win.
Booker is at 41.4% efficiency in the last 5 meetings, and the last time he played New York in a home game he went 5-for-8 from downtown. Opponents are shooting 38.3% from distance against the Knicks in their last 3 outings, and for comparison, that’s in line with the 4th-worst three-point defense in the NBA this season (Atlanta Hawks). Count on Booker to deliver here.
Jusuf Nurkic to record 10+ rebounds (-180)
Losing Mitchell Robinson is huge for the Knicks here as they lose their only consistent presence down low. In their last 2 games without him, they allowed 17 and 15 offensive rebounds to the Raptors and Jazz, who aren’t great teams on the glass. For a player like Nurkic, who averages 9.8 rebounds per game this season (13th best in the NBA), this is really good news. He’s coming off his best rebounding game of the season after grabbing 22 of them in the loss to Brooklyn. That was his 2nd game in a row of at least 13 rebounds, so it’s safe to say that Draymond Green’s punch didn’t do any damage. All jokes aside, I believe Nurkic is more than capable of having a productive night on the boards here.
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