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The Knicks and Nets have both stumbled out of the gate, each starting 0-3.
One team appears to be dealing with a championship hangover, while the other is entering another rebuilding year.
The defending champions dropped their season opener to a new-look 76ers squad on ring night, fell to the Celtics in Boston during a reunion with Mitchell Robinson, and dropped Sunday’s contest against the Magic at Madison Square Garden.
New York’s latest defeat featured a brutal fourth-quarter meltdown, as Orlando poured in 40 points in the final 12 minutes.
Jalen Brunson and New York join the 2011 Mavericks and 1969 Celtics as the only reigning champions to start the following season winless after three games.
Their next chance to win is at home against Detroit on Tuesday, before they take off for a two-game road trip to Chicago and Philadelphia.
The Knicks had their hands full with Cade Cunningham and Detroit last season, while a youthful Chicago squad could easily turn it into a trap game for their first win.
At BetMGM, the Knicks’ title odds are the fourth-shortest on the board at 10/1, and they’re still +400 to win the conference. Their win total is down to 49.5 at the sportsbook after opening at 53.5 this summer and settling at 51.5 before the season opener.
Across town, Brooklyn lost its season opener to the Hornets at home, fell to Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers in Cleveland, and were blown out by the Pacers at Barclays Center.
This isn’t uncharted territory for the Nets, as they went 0-7 to start last season.
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The Nets’ next three games begin Tuesday in Boston against Jayson Tatum and the Celtics, then move on to Detroit and Indiana. At FanDuel, Julius Randle and Brooklyn remain -340 favorites to reach at least 20 wins, while sitting at -105 to reach 25 or more.
Next Monday, the Knicks host the Nets, and the hope is that both teams will have at least one win by then— a cautiously optimistic outlook given the state of both ballclubs.
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Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.