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New York Knicks +8 hang with Cavaliers on ESPN
Game Time: Sunday, November 8, 2009 08:05 PM ET
The Cavaliers are making their only visit to New York all year tonight, and aside from getting a one-time visit from LeBron James, the Knicks will also have the extra motivation of being on national television for the first time in about three years. The Knicks won't want to be embarrassed in this rare appearance in front of a national stage, and they will be pumped up by an electrified crowd. Take the points with the emotional dog here.
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers make their only trip to New York this season when they visit the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, and we look for an electric crowd to will the home club to a cover here.
The Knicks always get up for LeBron and Company anyway, as evidenced by the fact that they covered the last two meetings between these clubs last season while losing by only five points on each occasion., with one meeting coming here at MGS and the other coming in Cleveland.
Aside from the fact that the Cavs are in town, this is a rare nationally televised game for the once-proud Knicks franchise, as believe it or nit, this is their first such contest since March of 2006! That last thing New York wants to do is get embarrassed in front of a national stage, so that should keep them motivated to fight to the finish in this game.
Besides, truth be told, the Cavaliers are really not playing that well right now, as they sit at just 3-3 straight up with two of the losses coming at home, where they lost only twice all of last year, and they are just 2-4 against the spread. It also helps the Knick cause that Larry Hughes is now on their roster, and he may know a thing or two about how to defends Cleveland after playing with the Cavs for several seasons.
The bottom line is that while the Cavaliers are certainly the better team, they are far from peak form right now and they are facing a Knicks team that will be emotionally charged. Look for that emotion to allow New York to slip under this number.
Free Pick: Knicks +8 (-110)