Washington Wizards vs New York Knicks | Predictions, Preview , Odds & Free Pick | Sportsbookbuzz.com

NBA Free Pick – Monday January 24, 2011

vs.

Washington Wizards @ New York Knicks
Monday, January 24, 2011 at 7:30 pm EST on NBA TV

Pointspread: Knicks -8
Over/Under: 209 ½

Click Here for more Free Expert NBA Basketball Picks

The Washington Wizards will be looking to add to New York Knicks’ recent misery with a win tonight at Madison Square Garden. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast nationally on NBA TV.

Washington has been respectable lately with five wins is its last 10 games including a shocking 85-83 win over Boston this past Saturday as a 6 ½-point home underdog. The unfortunate part of the Wizards’ recent success is that all five of the victories have come at home as they have yet to win a game all year on the road. They are 13-29 straight-up overall (16-26 against the spread), but 0-20 SU on the road.

Balance on offense has not been Washington’s problem this season with six players averaging in double-figures. Nick Young and Andray Blatche are each averaging over 16 points a game and Blatche leads the team in rebounds with 8.2. Rookie John Wall is averaging 15.1 points and a team-high 9.2 assists and Rashard Lewis has averaged 13.8 points and 7.8 rebounds since joining the team from Orlando earlier this season.

The Wizards’ problem has been putting it all together on a consistent basis. They are ranked 23rd in the league in scoring with an average of 96.3 points per game and 20th in points allowed; giving up an average of 102. Washington also has one of the worst shooting percentages in the league at 44.1 percent. It is ranked 24th in rebounding with an average of 40.2 boards per game; 3.12 less than its opposition.

New York’s New Year run has quickly fizzled and it has now lost seven of its last eight games, including its last six straight. The Knicks are coming off a tough 101-98 loss to Oklahoma City this past Saturday as an eight-point road underdog in a game it was in a position to win at the end. This latest loss dropped the team to 22-21 SU but raised its record ATS to 26-15-2 ATS. New York finds itself 11 games behind Boston in the Atlantic Division and in sixth-place in the Eastern Conference.

It still begins and ends for New York with the play of Amar’e Stoudemire, as he leads the team in points with 26 per game and rebounds with nine per game. Raymond Felton is second on the team in scoring with an average of 17.5 points per game and leads the team in assists with 8.7.

The Knicks are ranked second in the league in scoring with an average of 106.5 points per game, but ranked 27th in points allowed; giving up basically the same amount. They are shooting 46 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from three-point range. New York has been especially good from the foul-line; converting on almost 80 percent of its attempts.

Washington is 0-4 ATS in its last four road games and 2-6 ATS in its last eight games overall. The total has stayed ‘under’ in five of the last six games.

New York is 3-3 ATS in its last six games at home and 1-3-1 ATS in its last five games overall. The total has stayed ‘under’ in four of its last five.

Head-to-head, the Knicks have won the last five games both SU and ATS including two wins this season. They beat the Wizards 112-91 on Nov. 5 as a 5 ½-point home favorite and 101-95 as a three-point road favorite on Dec. 10. The total stayed ‘under’ in both of those games.

This is a golden opportunity for New York to get a much needed win as you get the feeling that Washington’s woes on the road are destined to continue. Do not hesitate to take the Knicks giving up the eight points in this one.

Check out the latest NBA Basketball Odds here.

The odds makers have the New York Knicks as a -8 point favorite with an over/under of 209.5.

Bet the Wizards/Knicks game using your credit card to deposit and to get a HUGE 50% sign up bonus up to $250 at the web’s biggest bookie: Sportsbook.com.

Washington Wizards Betting Trends: