The Charlotte Hornets will head up to the Big Apple to take on the New York Knicks at MSG. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Hornets-Knicks prediction and pick.
Charlotte took the first head-to-head meeting of the season by 21 points back in January. Charlotte has won five straight games against New York and will look to build on the recent success in Tuesday night’s affair. Will the Knicks be able to break the recent spell against the Hornets and continue their winning streak?
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Hornets-Knicks odds.
NBA Odds: Hornets-Knicks Odds
Charlotte Hornets +5.5 (-107)
New York Knicks -5.5 (-113)
Over 208 Points (-110)
Under 208 Points (-110)
Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread
The Charlotte Hornets have been the victims of horrible luck this season. A team that has exceeded expectations and is full of young talent just hasn’t been able to stay healthy. They are still five games ahead of teams looking in but have a real chance of slipping out of the playoffs if they don’t turn it around quickly. Charlotte has a tough schedule ahead and will need to win games like these if they want to squeak in. The Hornets' recent win against the Portland Trail Blazers was crucial as it snapped a four-game losing streak.
Charlotte has been finding contributions down the line from younger guys that possess a ton of potential. Miles Bridges, Jalen McDaniels, and PJ Washington all scored in double figures in the win against Portland and have shown signs of sustainable success with the added minutes. The key for this team down the stretch will be the play of point guard Terry Rozier. Rosier had 34 points and 10 assists against the Blazers. The Hornets are 5-0 in their last five games against New York and will hope to continue that streak and string together multiple wins in a row.
Why The Knicks Could Cover The Spread
The New York Knicks have proven to the NBA that they are back in the conversation in the Eastern Conference. They have clearly shifted the culture and now control their fate down the stretch. The shift in defensive intensity has been absolutely remarkable. If you had said to someone that the Knicks would have the best defense in the league before the season started, you would’ve been laughed out of the room. Well, the Knicks possess the league’s best defensive unit this season.
The offense has struggled at times for the Knicks but has shown vast improvements of late. New York is currently riding a six-game winning streak and will now face three Eastern Conference opponents this week as the Knicks look to continue the stretch. Their recent win against the New Orleans Pelicans saw Julius Randle continue his dominant season with 33 points and 10 assists. The Knicks have covered in nine-straight games coming into this matchup with the Hornets.
Final Hornets-Knicks Prediction & Pick
This game has all of the makings of another low-scoring Knicks win. As tempted as I am to take the Knicks against the spread, I believe that the under is the stronger play. The total has gone under in four of the last five head-to-head matchups between these two teams. Charlotte has been involved in low-scoring games of late and will continue to compensate for their lack of health with defensive energy. We know what we are going to get from the Knicks on that end of the floor and this game will almost certainly feature one of the two teams scoring well below 100 points.
FINAL PICK: Under 208 Points (-110)
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