NBA Predictions: February 23rd 2011
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Prediction: New York Knicks -6.5
Doc’s COMP Pick: Wednesday February 23nd 2011-Take #712 New York -7 over Milwaukee (7:35pm est): Perfect spot for the New York Knicks to debut their new look team tonight. They are well rested and get a Milwaukee Bucks team that is coming off a ugly win last night. New York has been looking for a spark and that should come tonight with Carmelo Anthony joining the team. The Knicks come in having covered five straight against the Eastern Conference. They have had no problems beating up the lesser teams all season as they are currently 12-4 ATS when facing a team with a win pct. below .400 on the year. New York has been inconsistent all season but have somehow managed to cover 66% of their last 44 games overall, which comes as surprise to most and proves the Knicks are an underrated team. Milwaukee has struggled to get anything going this season having only covered three of their last ten games following a win. They are just 2-5 against the number when facing a team with a winning home record. Head coach Scott Skiles has always got his Bucks teams to fight in the past but that hasn’t been the case as much of late as Milwaukee has lost ten of their last eleven games by six points or more and in those eleven games the Bucks have lost by an average of nine points per defeat. Lastly keep in mind the Knicks were badly embarrassed back at the beginning of the year against the Bucks, losing by 27 points in their only contest between the two teams so far this season. If there were ever a game the Knicks want to pour it on it will be this one, not so much because of the earlier season loss (though that fact doesn’t hurt) but more or less to make a statement to the rest of the NBA tonight. Play New York to win and cover this one.

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Prediction: Atlanta Hawks +3
The high hopes of the Phoenix Suns have been dashed by their tenth position in the West heading into the break. The Suns have dropped four of their last five contests against the number when playing at US Airways Arena. These two met back in November and the Suns handed the Hawks their first loss of the season shooting 57 percent from the field in Atlanta. Hawks guard Joe Johnson scorched them for thirty-four in the loss and teammate center Al Horford dropped thirty on the Suns defense that day. Atlanta had matchup issues in that game that they do not have tonight and this should be a much different outcome as we expect the Hawks to give the Suns all they can handle and shock them in the desert with a road victory. Atlanta coming off an ATS loss as an underdog in their last two games has bounced back with a record of 17-7 ATS with games in this price range. If they are an underdog, their record improves to 11-3 ATS and if they are on the non-conference road, they are a perfect 6-0 against the number. The Phoenix Suns coming off two home games and now a home favorite in this price range are just 4-13-1 ATS. If they went over as a home underdog in their last game and now a favorite they are a miserable 0-6-1 ATS in that situation. A check of our systems database revealed three powerful league-wide winners that are active for tonight’s game. Play AGAINST NBA home teams after losing and going over as a home underdog in their last game, these teams are 92-136-8 ATS. If they are installed as a home favorite in this situation, they are 37-70-2 ATS. If they lost as a home underdog in their last game and now installed as a home favorite in this price range they are only 26-47-1 ATS. Take the points with the Hawks as they shock the Suns and get a road victory on Wednesday night in the desert. -Robbie Gainous (Handicapperspicks.com)