I know. I was surprised to learn this information too. The Charlotte Hornets are 15-10 ATS through 25 games and they take that betting magic to the Garden tonight to play the hapless New York Knicks. The Hornets open as six-point favorites and the total opened at 224.
- New York is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games when playing Charlotte.
- The total has gone OVER in five of Charlotte's last five games when playing on the road against New York.
- The total has gone UNDER in four of New York's last six games at home.
Knicks Are 1-5 ATS in Last Six Games
New York’s bottom five defense combined with a very loose offensive system has led to a very poor start to the season at 8-19 SU and 13-12-2 ATS record. Through four games this month, the Knicks have a -9.2 point differential on the back of 40.8 percent field goal shooting and an average of 121 points against per game.
Meanwhile, opponents are shooting over 50 percent from the floor through 27 games and 52.6 percent in their last three outings – that’s a tough way to stay in basketball games. For what it’s worth, the Knicks are shooting just 36 percent and scoring 101 points in five Sunday games this season.
Why Are the Hornets Covering Spreads?
So, what makes the Charlotte Hornets a good bet this year? Is it dumb luck or is there something with this team that we aren’t accounting for?
Well, first of all, the No. 7 scoring offense will keep you in games against a lot of teams. The Hornets are scoring 114 points per game and hitting 80 percent of their free throws.
To me, free throw shooting is essential for teams covering spreads. It’s pretty simple, if you miss 7-10 free throws in the course of a game, you’re giving away free points with the clock stopped. That adds up and can ultimately cost spread bettors more than moneyline bettors.
The Hornets are making 17.9 free throws per 100 possessions over the course of this season and that number is at 21.6 over their past three games. That’s the second highest mark in the league.
My Pick For Tonight
I’m going to take the Hornets on the spread in this game. They’re the best bet in the conference and are playing a terrible Knicks team. Charlotte has recent wins over Boston, Indiana, Milwaukee and Denver and I see them getting past the Knicks by better than six points.
