There’s a lot of focus on both NBA franchises in New York, but for entirely different reasons as they get set to make their respective stretch runs.

With the Knicks’ hot streak in February, along with the Nets’ poor showing after getting dismantled at the trade deadline, these New York squads are headed in opposite directions from an Eastern Conference title.

Eastern Conference Winner Movement (Last Week, Current)

• Cavaliers +1100 to –>1400
• Nets +4000 to –> 6600
• Knicks +8000 –> 5000

Entering action on Wednesday, the Knicks are one of the NBA’s hottest teams, winning six straight games. Highlighted by an impressive victory on Monday night against the Boston Celtics, New York has made its way up to the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference.

NBA ECF Betting Insights @ BetMGM

• NYK Percentage of market’s tickets: 4.5%
• NYK Percentage of market’s handle: 5.8%

They’ve also seen their odds to win the East take a giant leap, rising from +8000 to +5000 over the past seven days. The betting interest has also been as expected for the Knicks, tallying the sixth-highest ticket percentage at 4.5%, for the sixth-highest handle percentage at 5.8%. Those aren’t exactly awe-inspiring numbers, but it was hard to expect that with the trifecta of elite teams at the top of the conference. 

Unlike the Knicks, the Nets are headed down the mountain in a free fall. Brooklyn has struggled lately, posting a 3-7 mark over their past ten games. With superstar Kevin Durant being dealt to the Phoenix Suns and Kyrie Irving moving to the Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn’s odds of winning the East have taken a massive hit.

Brooklyn saw their +4000 odds drop all the way to +6600, which is a far cry from their opening season odds at +350. The interest that the Nets have seen in the futures market seems inconsequential after their moves, but they’ve still managed to compile 6.6% of tickets for 6.2% of the handle. 

In addition to the Knicks and Nets line movement, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been headed in a negative direction over the past week. They saw their odds drop from +1100 to +1400 but have compiled a lot of interest in the futures market. The Cavs have generated the second-highest ticket count at 18.6%, for 21.9% of the handle, the highest percentage of money going in a team’s direction.