The Knicks face the Hornets in Charlotte on Thursday night. Here are the best player props to consider for Josh Hart on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Best Josh Hart Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
The Knicks are 7.5-point favorites against the Hornets, with a total of 222.5 on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here are the latest prop bet lines for Josh Hart: o/u 24.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 three-pointers.
The Knicks are at a concerning point in their season. Jalen Brunson is out for an extended period of time with an ankle injury. Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns injured his finger in last night’s game against the Spurs. While Towns eventually returned to the game, that could be a lingering issue that he is forced to play through. That forces the Knicks to turn to their role players like Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges to play a bigger role in the team. Mitchell Robinson recently returned to the court for the first time this season, and it has helped the Knicks better distribute their minutes, but has created an even more clear divide in the team.
Once Jalen Brunson returns, the Knicks can run an “offense first” lineup with Brunson and Towns both on the floor together. They could also run a “defense first” lineup with Mitchell Robinson on the court and Brunson and Towns both on the bench. However, they could also run a hybrid lineup with Jalen Brunson on the court to provide the offensive firepower and Mitchell Robinson anchoring the defense, with Towns on the bench. Currently, the Knicks aren’t finding a way to play that hybrid lineup with both Robinson and Towns.
For example, against the Heat on Monday night, the Knicks were rolling with that defensive lineup but struggled to score the basketball. They then brought in Towns to start the second quarter, and he went on a personal 15-0 run to erase the Heat lead. Then last night, the Knicks were a disaster on the defensive end, giving up 34 points to relative unknown, Sandro Mamukelashvili. Without Jalen Brunson in the lineup, they need Towns to be efficient on the offensive end, but he is a liability on the defensive end. Until Jalen Brunson is fully healthy, the Knicks will continue to struggle with this conundrum.
During this stretch, Josh Hart needs to be one of the Knicks’ most influential players. Hart is known for his high motor, relentless work effort, and basketball IQ. He isn’t an elite shooter or the Knicks’ best wing defender, but he does everything well. Hart is a ferocious rebounder, can create his own shot when needed, and is a solid defender. Against the Heat on Monday night, Hart had a triple-double in the Knicks’ win. That is the type of contribution the Knicks need from Hart regularly.
The Hornets have been one of the worst teams in the league this season, and the Knicks should take advantage of it. The Hornets are 29th in the NBA in offensive rating, so the Knicks should be able to shut them. If they can play more loose, they should be able to push the ball down the court in transition and get easy buckets. Josh Hart is great in transition and can finish strong at the rim in breakaway situations. The Knicks should lean on him to contribute some offense this game, in addition to his tenacious effort on the boards. Hart has a double-double in four of his past six games and should get another one against the Hornets in this matchup.
