Betsided

Hornets vs Knicks Prediction and Odds: Back New York in Afternoon Battle

By Matt De Saro

The New York, New York have turned a corner after a slow start and are now 7-3 in their last 10 games.
The New York, New York have turned a corner after a slow start and are now 7-3 in their last 10 games. / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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The New York Knicks play host to the Charlotte Hornets on Monday afternoon at MSG in a matchup between two surging Eastern Conference teams. Despite ranking in the bottom half of current playoff teams, both are 7-3 straight up in their last 10 games. The Knicks are on a 3-0 win streak and currently clinging to the 10th spot in the East while the Hornets are seventh but coming off a loss. 

The Knicks have been steadily improving since a disappointing start to the season but still have a lot of work to do on offense. They are the 26th ranked scoring offense with 104.6 points per game and 30th in points in the paint. It’s a shame too because they have a very good defense and are ranked 9th in rebounding. 

The Hornets have kind of the opposite problem with the 2nd ranked scoring offense but the 29th ranked scoring defense. 

Here are the odds for this Eastern Conference showdown courtesy of WynnBET: 

Hornets vs. Knicks Odds, Spread, and Total

Spread:

  • Hornets +1.5 (-110)
  • Knicks -1.5 (-110)

Moneyline:

  • Hornets +105
  • Knicks -125

Total: 

  • 216 (Over -110/Under -110)

Hornets vs. Knicks Prediction and Pick

So, what we have here is a case of one of the best offenses in the league going up against one of the best defenses and vice versa. While it's always more fun when good offenses go against bad defenses but this will be more of a chess game in a way. The Hornets offense is averaging 114.9 PPG and were on a five-game streak before getting beat by the Magic last game. That is a concerning loss considering how bad the Magic is. But, they were let down again by their defense who is averaging 115.5 PPG to opponents and has a defensive rating of 113.4.

As they say, defense win championships and the same goes for bets against the spread in my opinion. The Knicks do struggle on offense but they turned a corner last week and are averaging 110 points per game in their last three outings. I think they keep the momentum going and cover this game as slim favorites. 

Pick: Knicks -1.5 (-110)

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