The NBA action continues with this conference tilt on Friday, December 9, and here you can get the best Knicks vs. Hornets betting pick and odds.
New York is looking for the third win in a row, while Charlotte is hoping to avoid the fourth consecutive defeat when they meet at Spectrum Center. The Knicks are 4-point favorites on FanDuel NY, while the total is set at 222.5 points. These conference rivals have met once this season; the Knicks won that game 134-131 in overtime in New York.
Knicks didn’t have problems with shorthanded Hawks
The New York Knicks (12-13, 11-12-2 ATS) concluded their four-game homestay with a couple of victories against Cleveland and Atlanta. That was a strong answer to two losses to open that home stand, and now the Knicks are hoping to get to .500 with another win in Charlotte.
New York had an easy job against the Atlanta Hawks, who were shorthanded and lost Dejounte Murray to an ankle injury in the opening quarter. The hosts kept the Hawks to 37.6% from the field and made 17 triples opposite Atlanta’s six in a comfortable 113-89 victory.
Julius Randle led the Knicks with a double-double of 34 points and game-high 17 rebounds, along with five assists. Quentin Grimes added 24 points, four boards, and two blocks, while RJ Barrett chipped in 15 points and seven rebounds.
SF Obi Toppin (knee) is out indefinitely, while PG Ryan Arcidiacono (ankle) is questionable to play on Friday against Charlotte.
Hornets lost three in a row
The Charlotte Hornets (7-18, 12-11-2 ATS) closed their three-game home stand with two losses against the Bucks and Clippers and continued losing when they faced the Brooklyn Nets on the road. Charlotte allowed even 73 points in the first half, and although they played better in the second 24 minutes, the Hornets couldn’t avoid a 122-116 defeat. The biggest difference was in the ball distribution; Brooklyn had 33 assists opposite Charlotte’s 25.
Terry Rozier led the team with 29 points and five assists. Kelly Oubre Jr. was right behind with 28 points, eight rebounds, and two steals, Jalen McDaniels contributed with 19 points and seven boards, while Mason Plumlee posted a double-double of 13 points and game-high 11 rebounds, along with five dishes.
SF Gordon Hayward (shoulder), PG LaMelo Ball (ankle), PG Dennis Smith Jr. (ankle), and SF Cody Martin (knee) are out indefinitely. PF PJ Washington (eye) and C Mark Williams (ankle) are questionable to feature on Friday against the Knicks.
Trends:
New York:
3-1-1 ATS in the last five games overall
17-6 ATS in the last 23 road games
Charlotte:
3-13 SU in the last 16 games against the Eastern Conference rivals
New York Knicks vs. Charlotte Hornets Pick
New York is playing better basketball at the moment and the Knicks are not missing key players like the Hornets, so I am going with the visitors in this one. Charlotte is not the same without Ball and Hayward, and their absence is a chance the Knicks cannot fail to exploit.
New York’s offense is averaging 113.6 points per game opposite Charlotte’s 109.6 ppg, while the Knicks also have a stronger defense and are better in both offensive and defensive ratings. If PJ Washington is forced to miss this game with an eye injury, the Knicks will have an easier job.
Pick: Take the Knicks at -3.5 (-110)
The Total
The Knicks’ offense didn’t impress lately but they are facing the Hornets, who are allowing 115.4 ppg, and I am backing the visitors to score 115+ against the shorthanded hosts. Both teams are below average when it comes to defensive rating, so there is a big chance both sides will score 100+ here. Over is 23-11-2 in the last 36 H2H meetings; Over is 4-1 in the Hornets’ previous five overall, while Over is 4-1 in Charlotte’s last five after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Pick: Go Over 219.5 points (-133)
