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The Hornets visit the Knicks on Thursday! The Hornets are spiraling and on a losing streak, while the Knicks have been red-hot recently. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Hornets-Knicks prediction and pick.
The Hornets were among the worst teams in the NBA last season and have not played well this year. They have talent on the team, with LaMelo Ball at point guard and Brandon Miller on the wing. However, they do not have a lot of depth and could struggle this season. This is a tough matchup against a Knicks team with great talent.
The Knicks have been red-hot after a slower start to the season. Their keys are Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns because they are the best players and should provide the best scoring options for a team that desperately needs to be solid on offense. The Knicks have the talent to compete in the Eastern Conference this season. This is a decent matchup for them against the Hornets at home.
Here are the Hornets-Knicks NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Hornets-Knicks Odds
Charlotte Hornets: +15.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +810
New York Knicks: -15.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -1400
Over: 217.5 (-110)
Under: 217.5 (-110)
How To Watch Hornets vs. Knicks
Time: 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT
TV: MSG Network/MSG Sportsnet
Article Continues Below
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Hornets Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Hornets have struggled this season on offense. They were 26th in scoring at 107.3 points per game, 30th in field goal percentage at 42.5%, and 15th in three-point percentage at 36.3%. Six different Hornets are averaging over double digits, with LaMelo Ball leading at 31.1 points per game. Ball also leads the way in assists at 6.9 per game. Ball is the engine that makes this offense go, and he will be the difference not just all year but especially in this game against the New York Knicks. Brandon Miller is another huge key for this offense and will be a challenge for the Knicks all night on the wing. The Hornets have the talent, but the Knicks are among the best defensive teams in the NBA and will be a huge challenge in this game.
The Hornets' defense has been solid at best this year. They are 14th in scoring defense at 112 points per game, 20th in field goal defense at 46.7%, and 12th in three-point defense at 35.7%. Down low, Nick Richards leads the team in rebounds at 10 per game. Four players are averaging at least one steal, with Brandon Miller leading at 1.4 per game. Then, three players are averaging at least one block per game, with Nick Richards leading at 2.3 per game. The defense has been inconsistent and gets a big matchup against the Knicks. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are huge for this defense because if they do not slow them down, the Knicks will blow the Hornets out.
Why the Knicks Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Knicks' offense struggled last season but has looked great this year. They are seventh in scoring at 118 points per game, second in field goal percentage at 49.7%, and second in three-point shooting at 39.5% from behind the arc. Then, six players on the Knicks are averaging over double digits in scoring, with Jalen Brunson leading at 25.2 points per game. Then, Brunson also leads the way in assists at 7.7 per game. Brunson is the key for the Knicks on offense because he makes this team go, but Karl-Anthony Towns has been great since coming over in the offseason and is just behind Brunson in scoring at 25.1 points per game. This offense is much-improved and should be able to score against an inconsistent defense like the Hornets.
The Knicks' defense was great last season. They allowed 111.2 points per game, 46.6% from the field and 36.1% from behind the arc. Karl-Anthony Towns leads the way in rebounding this season with 13.1 per game. Then, one player averages over one block per game, with OG Anunoby leading at one per game. Finally, four players are averaging at least one steal per game, and Josh Hart leads in steals at 1.4 per game. This defense is the key for the Knicks all year and in this game. The Knicks focus on defense, and they have the talent to shut down an offense that is mostly LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, not much else.
Final Hornets-Knicks Prediction & Pick
The Hornets have struggled this year and enter this matchup having lost six straight games. Then, the Knicks won four out of their last five games. The Hornets will lean on Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball, but they won't be the best players on the court; instead, that will be Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. The Knicks are red-hot and should be able to win this game against the Hornets. The Knicks win and cover at home against the Hornets to extend their winning streak.
Final Hornets-Knicks Prediction & Pick: New York Knicks -15.5 (-110)
