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Free NBA Picks New York Knicks: Season-Long Handicapping and Specialization 11/29/2024

by Spencer Toth - 11/28/2024

Free NBA picks New York Knicks season long handicapping OG Anunoby

A regular season matchup between the Charlotte Hornets and New York Knicks would not normally draw much interest, but the introduction of the NBA Cup has turned this into a massive NBA game. The Hornets have already been eliminated from the NBA Cup after losing their opening two games, but the Knicks have a great chance to top East Group A after winning their first two games. All season long, Doc’s Sports will be breaking down every single New York Knicks game while giving out the best bets along the way. 

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On Wednesday night, the Knicks came up short against the Dallas Mavericks. New York lost 129-114 after they dug themselves a 24-point first half deficit. The Knicks didn’t play terrible basketball, but the discrepancy in shooting was too much for New York to overcome. The Knicks went 7/29 (24.1%) from deep compared to Dallas’s 17/33 (51.5%) success rate from three-point land. Those extra 30 points made the difference for the Mavericks, who found offensive success without Luka Doncic in the lineup. New York’s leading scorer was Jalen Brunson, who piled in 37 points. 

From a betting perspective, we went 0-2. The Knicks didn’t even come close to covering the (-4) point spread after they went ice cold from the floor. We also fell short on our player prop by half a point. Josh Hart finished with just 12 points, one short of the 12.5 mark that was required. 

The New York Knicks (10-8) take on the Charlotte Hornets (6-12) at a special tip off time of Noon EST on Friday afternoon. The NBA has elected to spread out the NBA Cup games on Friday, and it is hard to blame them for putting the Knicks and Hornets in the mid-day time slot. 

Charlotte can be one of the most exciting NBA teams to watch thanks to the exhilarating play from LaMelo Ball. Ball is averaging 31.1 PPG this season and an incredible 40.3 PPG in his last four contests. His ability to pull up from deep with just an inch of space is like few other shooters in the league, and the 23-year-old could not be more confident. Ball brings some excitement that has been missing in Charlotte for a long time, but the Hornets still have limited aspirations for tangible success this season. The Hornets have been hit with early season injuries to Miles Bridges and both Grant and Mark Williams. Bridges could be back in time for the Knicks matchup on Friday, which would give the Hornets a massive boost at this pivotal time of the season. 

This is the type of game the Knicks cannot afford to lose. They have a brand-new roster, meaning a deep run in the NBA Cup could give them some valuable experience as they head into what they hope will be a long postseason run. The NBA Cup is still not a prestigious NBA trophy, but the playoff-like experience gained could be even more valuable than the championship itself. 

New York has a serious edge in talent compared to the Hornets. And as long as they don’t let Ball score 45+ points, they should have no problem picking up the win on the road. Mikal Bridges will likely be assigned to Ball for most of the game, but OG Anunoby or even Josh Hart could also rotate on the explosive Charlotte guard. Bridges hasn’t been able to fill up the hoop offensively in his first season with the Knicks, but his defensive impact has been noticeable. Brunson and Towns are in the Knicks lineup for offense, while Bridges, Hart, and Anunoby give the Knicks defensive stability like few other NBA teams. New York’s ability to play several strong two-way players has allowed them to remain at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. 

New York is a significant favorite to beat the Hornets in the NBA Cup, and it’s hard to look past the visitors. Towns and Brunson have been playing dominant basketball in their short time on the court together. The pick-and-roll game from the pair has turned into a lethal combination, and Towns’ ability to pull up in the mid-range makes him an even tougher guard. While Anunoby, Hart, and Bridges cannot generate their own offense, their ability to knock down the triple forces teams to spread out on defense. If they prioritize slowing down Towns, the Knicks will make them pay from deep. If they spread the defense, Towns and Brunson can almost always get an open shot in their two-man game. The Hornets defensive struggles will only be amplified as Bridges remains out, as they don't have a mobile center needed to stop Towns from heating up. 

The spread is up at -8.5 in favor of the Knicks, which is a relatively fair line. The Knicks should get the victory, but the explosive scoring from Ball could allow the Hornets to secure the backdoor cover. Instead of making a selection on the spread, we are going to be targeting the 227.5 point total instead. 

The Knicks have a very efficient offense capable of lighting up the scoreboard with incredible consistency. They’ve combined for 227+ points in six consecutive games, and a fast-paced Hornets team will not provide much resistance on the defensive end. Charlotte is more than happy to get involved in a shootout. While they combined for under 200 points in back-to-back games, that was against the stingy Heat and Magic. Charlotte went over this line in five straight before that and will be overjoyed to get the offense flowing against the Knicks. 

For the second bet of the night, we will be taking Ball’s under. Ball has been on fire, scoring 40.3 PPG in his last four games, but he will be in for a harsh reality check against New York. His total is at 32.5 points, which is simply way too high. New York does a good job at slowing down elite guards, and Ball is due for some regression back to his career averages. This is a great time to ‘sell high’ on the LaMelo, and we will be doing exactly that with this under. 

Pick: Knicks vs Hornets Over 227.5 5 Units

Pick: LaMelo Ball Under 32.5 Points 2 Units

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