Knicks, Nets both open with historic over/under win totals

The Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks are headed in opposite directions.

While neither franchise has won a championship in roughly half a century or appeared in an NBA Finals in over two decades, the Knicks are trending up, and the Nets are in a full rebuild.

With the regular season three months away, Brooklyn and New York are opening at historic over/under win totals, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

As noted by sports betting writer Ben Fawkes (citing sportsoddhistory.com), both teams currently have an over/under that they haven't seen in over 25 years.

After missing the playoffs in eight of nine seasons from 2005-2022, the Knicks went 47-35 during the 2022-23 campaign and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time since 2013. New York had its first 50-win campaign in 11 years this past season and made it to the conference semifinals again.

Now, fully riding the " Nova Knicks " magic, the group could compete with the Boston Celtics for the top spot in the Eastern Conference over the winter.

One of the team's four former Villanova stars — forward Mikal Bridges — was traded from Brooklyn in late June.

Bridges not only joins star guard Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart to form a quartet of ex-Wildcats champions, but his departure leaves a serious void of star talent in Brooklyn.

Bridges led the Nets in minutes per contest (34.8) and three-point field goals per game (career-high 2.7) last season and was second in scoring (19.6 points per game) as well.

First-year head coach Jordi Fernandez has a tough task ahead. Brooklyn accomplished its top priority this offseason of re-signing star big man Nic Claxton to a four-year, $97M contract extension, but the Knicks are still clearly the kings of New York City.