The Knicks find themselves at a crossroads against the 76ers…
…while the Broncos find themselves in familiar territory.
Knicks Let Series Get Interesting
What Happened: That sound you just heard? It was the Knicks bandwagon slamming to a screeching halt.
Last night’s loss was either a minor blip on the road to the Eastern Conference finals, or the moment when the 76ers took control of the series. Blowing a six-point lead with 28 seconds to play demands a response. Let’s see what Tom Thibodeau’s team is made of.
Why It Matters: This loss has the potential to be a crushing one, but oddsmakers haven’t jumped ship just yet. But if you are thinking of doing so, there’s profit to be made.
The Knicks, who opened the series as a +108 underdog, still hold strong as a -370 favorite to advance. But if Joel Embiid’s guarantee to win this series started to spring into action last night, grabbing the Sixers at +290 would mean a big payout. It all depends on how much importance you place on that Game 5.
How We’re Feeling Today
We’re feeling déjà vu today.
Imagine us, waking up and seeing a headline about the Denver Broncos declining an option on QB Wilson. The same guy they already cut and ate $85MM in dead money to rid themselves of? Come on Denver, no need to beat a dead bronco! (Get it?)
Of course, this news item refers not to bad QB Russell, but bad QB Zach, who the team recently traded for from the failed passer factory known as the New York Jets.
We know certain coaches and GMs target a very specific type of player, but this is getting ridiculous.
The Look Ahead
Jaylen Brown PRA – With Kristaps Porzingis out, the Celtics are going to need more scoring if they want to close out their series with the Heat tonight. A third scorer such as Derrick White filing the void would be ideal, but we also think Brown might just up his game a bit. In 19 games without Porzingis this season, the guard averaged 25 points, 6.4 boards, and 3.7 assists; if he can replicate those numbers tonight, he’ll clear his 33.5 line.
Quinton Byfield POINTS – Byfield was the second pick of the 2020 draft, so his talent level is unquestionable. He’s also found himself in the box score consistently this series, adding at least one assist in three of four games. His line for at least a point is plus-money at the moment, and considering he’s notched one in seven of eight games against the Oilers (spanning regular season and playoffs), we’ll be watching him closely.
