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The NBA regular season continues with games on Wednesday. The New York Knicks will hit the road and take on the Charlotte Hornets. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Knicks-Hornets prediction and pick.
Both of these teams have had somewhat similar seasons so far. The New York Knicks have struggled this year and are coming off back-to-back losses. While the Charlotte Hornets have also been underwhelming, but are heating up and coming off of five straight wins. This should be an interesting match-up between two middle-of-the-pack teams.
Here are the Knicks-Hornets NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Knicks-Hornets Odds
New York Knicks: +7.5 (-110)
Charlotte Hornets: -7.5 (-110)
Over: 226.5 (-110)
Under: 226.5 (-110)
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Why The Knicks Could Cover The Spread
The New York Knicks have significantly underperformed this year. While the bar may never have been high for this team, they started off strong but have since fizzled out. Through 72 games they have a losing record of 30-42. At this point, New York is lacking direction and that has been demonstrated in their level of play. The Knicks have lost their last two, with their most recent defeat coming against the Hawks by six. New York will look to bounce back on Wednesday in a winnable match against the Hornets. Charlotte is definitely a team that the Knicks can compete against, but they need to come in ready for battle. If they step things up, then this game could go their way.
One of the things this Knicks team does well is start games strong. In their last two games, both losses, the Knicks came right out and outscored their opponent in the first quarter. The problem, however, is that they fail to maintain that energy or carry that momentum into the rest of the game. It's almost as if they feel accomplished enough to stop playing at that high level. The Knicks are more than capable of winning games, but they need to do it one quarter at a time. The games where the Knicks have come out on top have been much more consistent. Rather than having one lopsided quarter, they maintain a competitive energy throughout. If they can do this in Charlotte, then they could come out ahead.
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One of the biggest roadblocks for this Knicks team has been injuries. The Knicks currently have five key players listed on their injury report, with Julius Randle being the only player questionable for the match. If Randle misses this game, then that would be a huge blow to New York. Randle is the leader of this team and his absence has significant implications.
Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread
The Charlotte Hornets have also not managed to live up to the hype this year. Charlotte was a team that many people had high expectations for, but in the face of adversity and injuries they have come up short. Through 72 games they have barely squeaked out a winning record of 37-35. However, in spite of all their struggles, the Hornets are hot right now. Charlotte has managed to win five straight games, with their most recent victory coming over the New Orleans Pelicans by 3. Only three games ago, the Hornets took down the team that just beat the Knicks. If Charlotte is able to keep up their pace and momentum then it seems like they may just roll right over the Knicks. However, they need to come in ready for battle.
In their win over New Orleans, the Hornets actually mounted an impressive comeback. Going into the fourth quarter, Charlotte was down six. But the Hornets managed to kick things up a notch and cause a nine-point swing in their favor to come out on top. This Hornets team has consistently demonstrated their tenacity and unwillingness to give up in games. Charlotte is still fighting for the postseason, and it shows. They are a team that has hope and a goal and will likely bring their all in this matchup against the Knicks.
One of the biggest things that has helped this team gain momentum is the return of players from the injury report. Currently, the only player listed on the Hornets injury report is Gordon Hayward. This Hornets team is healthy and ready for battle. When they are at full health they are able to compete with the best teams in the league. The Hornets should be able to extend their win streak to six on Wednesday.
Final Knicks-Hornets Prediction & Pick
Charlotte should win this game. The wide spread makes it somewhat difficult because the margin of victory could end up being anything from 3 points to 23 points, but the Hornets should still come out on top. The Knicks have looked flat lately and they should not be your pick. Pick the Hornets to win and cover.
FINAL KNICKS-HORNETS PICK: Charlotte Hornets -7.7 (-110)
FINAL KNICKS-HORNETS SCORE PREDICTION: Hornets 122 – Knicks 111
