The Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks will face off on Thursday evening in an intriguing cross-conference showdown. New York enters with six losses in the last seven games, while Phoenix will be aiming to move on from a loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. Kelly Oubre Jr. (concussion) will miss the game for Phoenix, while Marcus Morris (neck) and Frank Ntilikina (groin) are questionable to play for New York. 

Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden. Sportsbooks list the Suns as three-point road favorites, down half a point from the opening line, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 226 in the latest Suns vs. Knicks odds. Before making any Knicks vs. Suns picks, see the NBA predictions from SportsLine's advanced computer model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and last season it returned a whopping $4,280 on its top-rated NBA spread and money line picks. It's already returned over $2,000 in profit on all its top-rated NBA picks during the 2019-20 season and entered Week 12 on a blistering 28-16 run on all top-rated NBA spread picks. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Suns. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Suns vs. Knicks:

  • Knicks vs. Suns spread: Suns -3
  • Knicks vs. Suns over-under: 226 points
  • Knicks vs. Suns money line: Suns -152, Knicks +130
  • PHX: The Suns have failed to cover in five straight games
  • NYK: The Knicks are 2-5 against the spread in the last seven games

Why the Suns can cover

The model knows that the Suns have the best player on the court in Devin Booker, with the talented guard averaging 31.3 points per game in January and 26.1 points per game for the full season. Booker headlines an intriguing Phoenix offense, with the team operating at an above-average clip in both free-throw attempt rate and the ability to avoid turnovers.

That creates numerical advantages for the Suns, with Phoenix also sitting in the top 10 of the NBA in creating turnovers defensively and securing defensive rebounds when their opponents miss. New York's offense is struggling and, with that in mind, the Suns could have the upper hand, even on the road. 

Why the Knicks can cover

Even so, Phoenix isn't a lock to cover the Knicks vs. Suns spread in this spot. The model has considered that, while New York is struggling at the moment, there are areas for the Knicks to exploit. Mike Miller's team does a good job at taking care of the ball offensively, posting an above-average turnover rate. That is key against a Suns team that feasts on transition opportunities and, in the numbers game, New York also excels in rebounding, with top-10 marks in the league on both ends of the floor. 

Phoenix's defense also provides room for optimism with its poor play when contesting shots and sending opponents to the free throw line, setting the stage for a potentially competitive effort from the Knicks. 

How to make Knicks vs. Suns picks

SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, and it also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations.

So who wins Suns vs. Knicks? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Knicks vs. Suns spread you need to jump on Thursday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.