Game Time: 7:30 PM ET, Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 

Venue:  Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, New York

Where to Watch: NBA League Pass

DraftKings:  Spread:  Hornets -2; O/U 225

Fanduel:  Spread:  Hornets -2; O/U 225

BetMGM:  Spread: Hornets -2.5; O/U 225.5

Hornets: 39-37, 9th place Eastern Conference

Knicks: 34-42, 11th place Eastern Conference

An NBA Eastern Conference matchup between a clear “play-in” tournament team and a clear “missed the postseason” team. The Charlotte Hornets were the surprise team of the year along with the Chicago Bulls.  They suddenly had gotten a lot better, but with an injury to SG/SF Gordon Hayward.. And lacking a true Center.. The team started to flounder.  Everyone all of a sudden got better than them.  PG LaMelo Ball is absolutely a breakout player… PF Miles Bridges is also an absolute breakout player… but without a full team around them they slipped form contender to has been.  Next season the Hornets will want health… and a Center and we could be looking at a contender again.  The New York Knicks started the season as the darlings of the Eatsern Conference because PF Julius Randle carried them to a playoff run last season.  It did not last this season.  The home fans in New York stink… like yesterday’s fish.  The fans booed, the young players shut down, Julius wants out.

The Charlotte Hornets have won 7 of their last ten games.  They went 6-4 ATS during that stretch.  PG LaMelo Ball is the real deal. He got 22 pts and 11 asts in the last game which was a loss to the Denver Nuggets. LaMelo plays perfectly off of PF Miles Bridges who had 27 pts and 11 rbs in the same game.  The problem is that is it.  The Hornets will have big games from the occasional player like SG Kelly Oubre Jr, or PG Isaiah Thomas, or SG Terry Rozier… but all these players will be gone if the team can get a Center.  C Mason Plumlee is both an offensive and defensive liability… but he is the best they have so they keep playing him.  The trade deadline brough PF/C Montrezl Harrell from the Washington Wizards, but Montrezl has yet to make an impact… The same as he didn’t with the Los Angeles Lakers or the Washington Wizards.  In fact since Montrezl’s 6th man of the year award with the Clippers 4 seasons ago… he has not been much of anything.

The New York Knicks have won 6 of their last ten games.  They went 6-4 ATS during that stretch.  They are currently on an improbable 4-game winning streak. They are 3-1 ATS during the four games.  The teams they beat are the Chicago Bulls, the Detroit Pistons, the Miami Heat, and the Charlotte Hornets… huh?  They beat the Hornets four games ago and it was a win ATS!  In that game RJ Barrett had 30 pts… RJ is the most inconsistent #2 option in all of the Eastern Conference. Also in that game PF Julius Randle did not play.  He will play in this one.  Could the dichotomy be that Julius doesn’t provide enough opportunity for RJ Barrett?... No, RJ stinks every other game, whether Julius plays or not.  

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The Hornets are 39-37 omn the season, but 41-33-2 ATS.  They have logged 36 Overs, 39 Unders, and 1 Push.  they are 19-18 in road games.

The Knicks are 34-42 on the season, but 36-40 ATS.  They have notched 38 Overs and 38 Unders.  They are 16-21 in home games.

The Hornets are 5th in scoring with 114.7 ppg, 12th in rebounds with 44.9 per game, and 3rd in AST/TO ratio with 2.1. On defense they rank a pitiful 27th while allowing 114.4 ppg from opponents.

The Knicks are 27th in scoring with 106.3 ppg, 3rd in rebounds with 46.3 per game, and 24th in AST?TO ratio with 1.6. On defense they rank 7th while holding opponents to 106.8 ppg.

Our prediction for Wednesday, March 30th is…. Knicks 118 - Hornets 114

The Knicks will win outright and ATS.  The Knicks simply have the better defense.  It is not hard to see the Knicks extend a streak while the Hornets keep losing.

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Charlotte is 13-3 ATS as a road favorite the last 3 seasons.
The Knicks are 28-13 ATS when the line is -3 to +3 the last 3 seasons.
Charlotte is 35-27 ATS versus New York since 1996.

Hornets: SG James Booknight (neck) Out ** SF Gordon Hayward (ankle) Out

Knicks: SG Quentin Grimes (knee) Out ** PG Derrick Rose (ankle) Out ** C Nerlens Noel (foot) Out ** SF Cam Reddish (shoulder) Out ** PG Kemba Walker (team gave up) Out 

Hornets: PF Miles Bridges, SF PJ Washington, C Mason Plumlee, PG LaMelo Ball, SG Terry Rozier

Knicks: SF RJ Barrett, PF Julius Randle, C Mitchell Robinson, SG Evan Fornier, PG Alec Burks

Hornets:  James Borrego

Knicks: Tom Thibodeau