Who Plays
New York Knicks @ Phoenix Suns
Current Records: New York 13-10, Phoenix 13-11
How to Look
- When: Friday, December 15, 2023 at 10:00 PM ET
- Where: Footprint Center — Phoenix, Arizona
- Television: ESPN
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $32.00
What to Know
The Knicks are 1-9 against the Suns since March of 2019, but they’ll have a chance to close the gap a bit on Friday. The New York Knicks will hit the road to face off against the Phoenix Suns at 10:00 pm ET at Footprint Center. Both of these teams are coming off a loss in a game they were expected to win.
It’s hard to win when you don’t work as a unit and post ten fewer assists than your opponent, a fact the Knicks found out the hard way on Wednesday. They fell to Utah 117-113.
The loss doesn’t tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Julius Randle, who dropped a double-double on 32 points and 12 rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Donte DiVincenzo, who scored 21 points along with seven rebounds and four steals.
Meanwhile, Phoenix was within striking distance but couldn’t close the gap on Wednesday when they fell 116-112 to Brooklyn.
The Suns’ loss came despite a quality game from Devin Booker, who dropped a double-double on 34 points and 12 assists. Booker continues to roll, beating his previous point total in each of the last three games he has played. Kevin Durant was another key contributor, scoring 27 points along with six rebounds.
New York dropped their record to 13-10 with that loss, which was their third straight on the road. That rough patch can’t be blamed on the team’s offensive efficiency across that stretch, as they averaged 119.3 points per game. As for Phoenix, they have struggled of late as they have lost three of their last four contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 13-11 record this season.
Friday’s game is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: The Knicks have been dynamite from deep this season, draining 37.6% of their threes per game. However, it’s not like the Suns are struggling in that department as they’ve made 38% of their threes per game this season. Given these competing forces, it will be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
The Knicks hope to beat the odds on Friday, as the experts believe they are headed for a loss. Bettors picking them against the spread have some confidence (to put it mildly), as the team is sitting on a three-game hitting streak of failing to cover when playing on the road.
Probability
Phoenix is a 5-point favorite against New York, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feeling for the line for this one, because the game opened with the Suns as a 5.5-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 231.5 points.
See NBA picks for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get options now.
Series History
Phoenix has won 9 of their last 10 games against New York.
- November 26, 2023 – Phoenix 116 vs. New York 113
- Jan 02, 2023 – New York 102 vs. Phoenix 83
- November 20, 2022 – Phoenix 116 vs. New York 95
- Mar 04, 2022 – Phoenix 115 vs. New York 114
- November 26, 2021 – Phoenix 118 vs. New York 97
- May 07, 2021 – Phoenix 128 vs. New York 105
- Apr 26, 2021 – Phoenix 118 vs. New York 110
- January 16, 2020 – Phoenix 121 vs. New York 98
- Jan 03, 2020 – Phoenix 120 vs New York 112
- Mar 06, 2019 – Phoenix 107 vs. New York 96
