Phoenix Suns vs New York Knicks Prediction: the Suns Go Unbeaten at Home

New York has not beaten Phoenix in the NBA regular season for nearly five years, suffering nine straight losses. The Knicks are the underdogs - can they surprise and break their losing streak?

The Suns have lost 3 of their last four regular-season games, dropping to fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Chris Paul has never been on the floor and won't play against New York. Cameron Johnson is out for the long haul due to losing two players from the starting five. Phoenix's defense sagged noticeably. Johnson is replaced by Torrey Craig, who has long been known for his defensive prowess, but the bench is almost empty now. Devin Booker is shooting less frequently from beyond the arc, although he earned 29.5 points per 4 games.

Last regular season game, Monty Williams's team lost on the road to Utah - 133-134. It was a bad start, and at one point, Phoenix even let their opponent take a 19-point lead, but soon enough, the Suns regained the momentum. Yes, the team missed a lot, but that's not to say they ultimately failed on defense. Their opponent, for example, shot hard from beyond the arc, while their open attempts were few and far between. On offense, they did well: all five players made at least half of their shots, and Devin Booker led all scorers with 49 points! Torrey Craig, Cameron Payne, and Damien Lee all shot well, although Phoenix only made 30% of their three-pointers.

The Knicks had won three games early in the season but have yet to have a long winning streak. New York made the playoffs the year before last, but now they are 22nd in the Defensive Rating. Mitchell Robinson is still injured, Isaiah Hartenstein is getting about the same playing time, and Jericho Sims has suddenly gained coaching confidence. In 4 games, he's averaged over 70% from the field, one steal, and 1.3 blocked shots, and he has been on the floor for over 20 minutes. Also, Cam Reddish was recently injured and may not play against Phoenix.

The day before, Tom Thibodeau's team lost to Golden State 101-111. New York briefly led in the opening minutes before their opponent pulled away and did not allow the intrigue. The Knicks played mediocre defensively at the arc, conceding 28 three-pointers, and the team was lucky it didn't come to a blowout. R.J. Barrett and Jalen Brunson made only 2-of-11 shots overall, and Derrick Rose, Immanuel Quickley, and Obi Toppin had no shots on goal, which made it difficult to come away with a win. Julius Randle was the top scorer for New York, earning 20 points on 7 of 15.

With Jalen Brunson, New York has become much quicker on offense, and their primary playmaker is leading his team in scoring in the opening seconds. They played poorly against Golden State but had good attempts, and their chance to outscore the reigning champions was wasted. Phoenix is going through a rough patch right now. Without Paul and Johnson, the club is having trouble rebuilding, and there's a reason why management is looking for additions. Last night's team meeting was productive, although Booker and Paul didn't appear on the floor for the Suns.

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