Knicks vs Hornets

Jalen Brunson and the Knicks come into Charlotte off a road win over Brooklyn that nudged them to 10-6 and quietly reset momentum after getting lit up twice by Orlando, while the Hornets have slid to 4-13 on a six-game losing streak that’s featured defensive leakiness and late-game slippage. With OG Anunoby and Landry Shamet sidelined and Mitchell Robinson just coming off an illness, New York still has a clear talent edge behind Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges against a Hornets group that has been juggling LaMelo Ball’s right-ankle issues, Brandon Miller’s recent shoulder problems and frontcourt absences like Ryan Kalkbrenner and long-term loss Grant Williams. LaMelo has historically torched the Knicks (over 21 points and 7 assists per game against them), and Charlotte did beat New York at home last March, but with the Hornets turning it over a lot, stuck in a prolonged skid and still searching for consistent lineups, the more disciplined and deeper Knicks are the side to back on the moneyline despite the heavy road juice. This is a solid edge but with modest monetary upside at -260, so I grade this play a B+. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 26/11/2025 09:40am

LaMelo Ball’s Hornets have been playing fast and loose, averaging around 116 points per game with high turnover counts, while recent outings like 131-116 vs. the Clippers and 113-110 at Atlanta show both their offensive pop and their defensive fragility, yet even those shootouts have stayed under this inflated 239.5 total. On the other side, New York’s attack is driven by Brunson–Towns pick-and-rolls and a more deliberate half-court style under Mike Brown, and even in high-scoring games such as the 133-121 loss at Orlando or the 113-100 win in Brooklyn, the combined scores have typically landed in the low 230s rather than the 240s. With Charlotte still banged up (Ball recently missing time with ankle impingement, Miller just back from a shoulder issue, Kalkbrenner nursing an ankle, Williams out long term) and the Knicks short a couple of key wings, depth concerns plus NBA Cup group-play intensity point toward slightly tighter rotations, more half-court possessions and fewer empty-calorie garbage-time points than this number suggests. Given both teams’ recent results relative to this line and the injury drag on efficiency, I lean to the Under 239.5 at -110 and grade it a B. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 26/11/2025 09:40am

Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns give New York a two-way ceiling Charlotte simply can’t match right now, and while the Knicks are only 2-5 on the road, they’ve generally handled weaker opponents once their offense settles in, whereas the Hornets have dropped six straight with several multi-possession losses, including getting blitzed by the Clippers at home and then falling by three in Atlanta despite big nights from Kon Knueppel and Miles Bridges. The injury sheet again matters: New York is missing OG Anunoby and Shamet but expects Robinson available after illness, while Charlotte has cycled through stretches without Ball and Miller and is down key rotation size in Kalkbrenner and Williams, putting even more on LaMelo’s shoulders against a physical Knicks frontline that can punish them on the glass. LaMelo’s strong career numbers versus New York and Charlotte’s occasional home spikes (like their recent win over Milwaukee without Ball or Miller) make backdoor or outright upset scenarios very real, and the Knicks’ inconsistent road defense keeps this from being a slam-dunk, but given the current form, health and talent gaps, I still lean Knicks -6.5 at -110 with a cautious B- grade. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 26/11/2025 09:40am