The Hornets are hosting the Knicks on Thursday. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Charlotte is favored by 1.5 points and this game carries a total of 222.5 points.
Let’s dive into three of my favorite player prop bets for Thursday’s matchup between the Hornets and Knicks.
Best Hornets vs. Knicks Player Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
LaMelo Ball 2+ points in the first three minutes (-111)
Ball has been hitting this prop at a high clip this season, so the -111 price is very reasonable. The same prop was -127 on Tuesday vs. the Kings, when Ball knocked down two three-pointers in the opening three minutes. This season, Ball has scored at least two points in the first three minutes of 39 of his 59 starts (66%). The 24-year-old is leading the Hornets with 2.6 PPG and a 31.9% usage rate in the first three minutes of contests.
The Knicks rank fifth in defensive rating this season, but we shouldn’t shy away from this prop because of the matchup. Ball has faced the Knicks twice this season and while he didn’t score in the opening three minutes in one of these tilts, he hit an early three-pointer in the other.
Karl-Anthony Towns U 1.5 Made Three-Pointers (-128)
The Hornets are a tough matchup for outside shooters. Since the All-Star break, they rank fifth in defensive rating and are allowing the fifth-fewest made three-pointers (11.9) on the fifth-lowest percentage in the league (33.5%). Towns has also become less aggressive from deep as the season has progressed.
The center is only averaging 1.5 made three-pointers on 3.6 attempts per game since the All-Star break, after averaging 1.6 makes on 4.5 attempts prior to the layoff. Since the All-Star break, Towns has failed to hit multiple treys in 11 of his 17 games.
Mikal Bridges U 3.5 Assists (-106)
Bridges has dished out six and seven assists in his last two, but these showings came against two lottery teams in the Wizards and Pelicans, respectively. The wing is in a much more difficult spot tonight vs. the Hornets, as they rank fifth in defensive rating since the All-Star break.
Over this time, Bridges’ playmaking numbers haven’t been encouraging, averaging just 3.4 assists on 5.3 potential assists per game. Bridges has faced Charlotte twice this season and he only finished three and two assists in those matchups.
