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LaMelo Ball Best Prop Bets for Hornets vs. Knicks on Thursday 3/20/25

LaMelo Ball Best Prop Bets for Hornets vs. Knicks on Thursday 3/20/25

Sports Betting Picks NBA DraftKings Network Rail

Published:

By: Alex Hunter

The Hornets are hosting the Knicks on Thursday. On DraftKings Sportsbook, New York is favored by 7.5 points and this game carries a total of 222 points.

Below, I have featured my favorite LaMelo Ball prop bet to consider from this contest.

Best LaMelo Ball Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook

LaMelo Ball U 24.5 Points (-115)

Ball has taken a major step backward since the All-Star break. The guard is averaging only 19.5 PPG since the layoff, which is a major drop from the 27.3 PPG he was averaging before the All-Star break. Ball has fallen short of 24.5 points in six of his 11 starts since the break. During this stretch, Ball is shooting an ugly 35% from the field.

Tonight, the Hornets will have all three of Ball, Miles Bridges and Mark Williams active. These are Charlotte’s top three players and in the 21 games they have played together this season, Ball is averaging just 22.7 PPG. His usage has been 3.8 percentage points lower than his season average in these contests.

To make matters worse, this a tough matchup against the Jalen Brunson-less Knicks. The guard is New York’s weak link on defense and with Brunson missing the last six with a sprained ankle, the Knicks rank fifth in defensive rating. Overall, New York’s defensive rating has been 3.7 points better with Brunson off the court this season. Ball should struggle in this spot and come up short of 24.5 points.

Alex Hunter
Alex Hunter is an avid DFS player and sports handicapper, who has been a proud member of the DraftKings Network team since 2020. He is a data-driven analyst, who earned his bachelor’s degree in communications at Worcester State University and has been in the sports content business for nearly a decade, covering the NBA, NFL and PGA TOUR. Alex is a diehard Boston Celtics fan, who loves to be on the golf course when he isn’t grinding lineups or producing content. For all of Alex’s work or if you need any lineup advice, be sure to follow him @Hunta512 on X.
Disclaimer

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Hunta512) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.