The New York Knicks added a former Most Valuable Player to a lineup that already included Carmelo Anthony and promising seven-footer Kristaps Porzingis, but the problem with this team this season is that they just never really bought into anything. And that might include the head coach as well. So the Knicks are indeed languishing, and talking about making more changes during the off-season. That is a sharp contrast with the Utah Jazz, who made some key additions that have really turned this into a contending ballclub in the Western Conference. These teams will collide on Wednesday night, in a game that begins at 10:35 PM ET at Salt Lake City. BetAnySports customers will have the opportunity, even after the game gets underway, to place real-time wagers through the mechanism known as Live Betting Ultra.

The Knicks look like they might at least contend for the backend of the East playoff queue around the holidays, but things went south quickly. With a dozen games left, they are seven games out of a playoff spot, with a 27-43 record, and the fact that they are above water as far as the pointspread is concerned (36-34) is very little consolation. Phil Jackson is the head executive, and he has been encouraging the head coach he hired, former NBA star Jeff Hornacek, to employ the Triangle offense that Jackson had in place for so many years with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. Hornacek was not all that familiar with the approach, and the players have not taken to it well, particularly Anthony, a "superstar" who leads the team in scoring at just under 23 points per game. Anthony's philosophy is to essentially isolate himself on plays and do it himself. Of course, the result is that he has never been with a big winner in the NBA. And this year is no exception. The Knicks may come to their senses and trade him, if there are any takers.

In the basketball betting odds posted on this game by the folks at BetAnySports, Utah is a big favorite:

Utah Jazz -11.5
New York Knicks +11.5

Over 202.5 points -110
Under 202.5 points -110

Jackson has actually taken to attending practices and lecturing the team's guards on playing the Triangle. This may have the effect of just confusing them. But one thing Hornacek has mentioned is that the reserves have adapted to the offense a little better, and that would make sense, since they are younger and have not developed habits that would prevent them from learning. The Knicks put their second unit into the game on Monday, when they were 25 points down after three quarters against the Los Angeles Clippers, and they managed to cut the deficit to eight. Anthony is going to find his minutes reduced for the rest of the season, and we can't figure out whether that's a good thing or bad thing, since he often takes bad shots, hitting only 38.5% in March.

Utah has had better luck with their new point guard, George Hill, then the Knicks have had with former MVP Derrick Rose, and there is more of a team concept in place in Salt Lake City. BetAnySports patrons who have followed the NBA and basketball betting this season know that Utah has given up fewer points than anyone in the league, and that they play at a slower pace than anyone as well. They also are well aware that the Jazz have great intimidated her in the middle in Rudy Gobert, who leads the league in blocked shots per game. So don't expect the Knicks to have a lot of success attacking the basket in this one. And since New York is last in the league in defensive rebounding percentage, second-chances will be in short supply. Utah, coached by former University of Missouri head coach Quin Snyder, is in a dogfight for the #4 playoff spot in the West, and this three-game skid has put them only one game up on the Clippers. So there is obviously a sense of urgency in place, while the Knicks are once again thinking about how they will rebuild.

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