NBA League: Phoenix Suns vs NY Knicks 09/01/2026

Betting on 2nd Half Points

The key to this bet lies in the drastic shift in tempo after the break. Both teams significantly slow the pace in the second half, naturally pushing this game toward a more controlled, grind-it-out scenario. When you add Phoenix’s much tighter perimeter defense, it becomes clear why opponents struggle to find easy points late on — the Suns allow just 31% shooting from three-point range in decisive stretches.

On the other side, New York come into this game shorthanded, with Josh Hart sidelined, an absence that directly impacts their transition game and second-chance scoring. Without him, the Knicks lean even more heavily on a patient, half-court offense, a trend backed up by the numbers: in their last five road games, the 112.5-point second-half line has been cleared only once. It’s no coincidence that the Knicks rank second in the NBA in time spent in half-court possessions, often using nearly the full shot clock — around 21 seconds per possession — in late-game situations.

All of this points toward a matchup that feels more like a trench battle, with few open looks, limited trips to the free-throw line, and a strong emphasis on positional defense. In that context, a drop in second-half efficiency stands out as the most logical outcome.