Knicks & Nets join the fray

You thought the sports betting schedule already was busy!

Pro basketball joins the jam-packed calendar this week. Both the Nets and Knicks tip off their 2019-20 schedules Wednesday night. Brooklyn will be a home favorite against Minnesota. The Knicks will be a big road underdog at San Antonio. Be sure you monitor game-day line moves to get an up-tothe-minute read on market perceptions.

Preseason propositions already have painted a fairly clear picture. The Nets are seen as “playoff caliber” but behind the elite. The Knicks are seen as distant also-rans, just slightly better than the worst teams in the NBA.

That’s clear in William Hill’s regularseason win totals for the Eastern Conference. Customers can bet Over or Under these numbers at standard 11/10 vigorish (risk $11 to win $10, or anything in that ratio).

• Playoff contenders: Bucks 57, Sixers 54, Celtics 50, Pacers 47, Raptors 45¹/2 , Heat 44, Magic 42¹/2 , Nets 42.

Note Boston visits Philadelphia on Wednesday (7:30 p.m., ESPN) in the first big conference game of the new season. Consider recording that to study later if you’re watching the Nets or Knicks live.

William Hill has only eight Eastern teams clearing the 40-win barrier. Kyrie Irving and company currently project to a No. 8 seed, five games back of a No. 4 seed.

• Projected also-rans: Pistons 38, Hawks 34¹/2, Bulls 34, Knicks 28, Wizards 26¹/2, Cavaliers 23¹/2, Hornets 22¹/2.

If the Knicks turn out to be 10-12 wins better than their market projection, they still wouldn’t be a playoff-caliber team. The Knicks are perceived as slightly better than potential tankers in other cities.

What do win projections suggest about odds to win the conference? Let’s take a look at that prop for playoff contenders (equivalent win percentages are in parentheses)

• Odds to win the East: Bucks 6/5 (45 percent), Sixers 3/2 (40 percent), Celtics 13/2 (13 percent), Nets 12/1 (8 percent), Pacers 15/1 (6 percent), Raptors 25/1 (4 percent), Heat 28/1 (3 percent), Magic 75/1 (1 percent).

If you’re good at math, you noticed those eight teams added up to 120 percent. Sports books build universes larger than 100 percent to create a house edge. Brooklyn is getting more respect than its win total would suggest ... but is still well behind the Eastern powers. If healthy, the Nets would have a dangerous playoff roster.

The Western Conference is loaded with talent this season. The eventual Eastern champ probably will be an underdog in the league finals ... and a big underdog if it’s a Cinderella. Odds for Eastern powers to win the NBA title: Bucks 11/2, Sixers 7/1, Celtics 20/1, Nets 45/1, Pacers 60/1. The Lakers and Clippers from the West are virtual cofavorites at 3/1 and 7/2 respectively.

Fans will get an opportunity to evaluate the Knicks and Nets in a headto-head meeting at Barclays Center on Friday night. VSiN will be monitoring first-week lines to build our estimate of “market” power ratings that will run in a future NBA report.

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