Betting On Hornets Knicks – “The “Linsanity” Continues In The Big Apple

No sports betting player alive could have predicted the ascent of Jeremy Lin, who has willed New York back into the playoff picture and furthermore, Knick fans have a semblance of hope now that they have a solid point guard who seems to make the big play at the right time. Look for the Knicks to keep their streak going when New Orleans visits on Friday night.

What: NBA Betting
When: Friday, February 17th, 8:00 PM ET
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Pick: New York Knicks

Why Bet On New Orleans Hornets (6-23 SU, 12-17 ATS)

The Hornets opened a six-game road trip with a 92-89 win in Milwaukee, which was their second victory in a row, and they got a huge shooting night from Marco Belinelli, who nailed six of his seven three-point attempts en route to 22 points. Chris Kaman posted 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Hornets, who also outrebounded the Bucks 48-40 and held Milwaukee to 38.4% from the floor, and defense hasn’t been a problem for the Hornets, who are 9th in points allowed. The offense has struggled to find any sort of rhythm; Eric Gordon hasn’t been in the lineup and Kaman has played better as of late. The Hornets have also been going to Greivis Vasquez at the point with Jarrett Jack on the sidelines, and his versatile skill set can give the opposition fits. The Hornets will need those skills in the Garden on Friday.

Emeka Okafor (knee) won’t be back until after the All-Star break, at least, Jack (knee) is day-to-day, Carl Landry (knee) will likely be out for the rest of the month and Gordon (knee) had another surgery that could keep him out of action for a while, if not the rest of the season. He was supposed to be the centerpiece of the Chris Paul deal, so it isn’t really fair to judge that trade until Gordon can play a significant amount of games. Having him healthy would boost an offense that has gone over the 100-point mark just twice this season.

Why Bet On New York Knicks (15-15 SU, 14-16 ATS)

The Lin story continues as the unlikely star guided the Knicks to a 100-85 win at home over Sacramento to extend their winning streak to seven, as he had 10 points and 13 assists, while Landry Fields had 15 points, 10 boards and five assists for the Knicks, who had seven players in double figures. They also had a 48-35 edge on the glass and shot 50.6% from the field, while holding their opponents to 37.9%, which helped the Knicks overcome 18 turnovers. “Linsanity” continues to take the league by storm and even though Lin had six turnovers, his good decisions are outweighing the bad ones and he has rescued the Knicks from an embarrassing season, although it remains to be seen what will happen when Carmelo Anthony returns to the lineup (which won’t be Friday). One story that hasn’t been talked about much is the improvement of Fields, who was struggling in his sophomore season before Lin came along; it was actually Fields’ couch that Lin was sleeping on before the rest of his contract was guaranteed, and maybe they bonded while Lin was staying with Fields. But Fields looks like the player that the Garden fell in love with last year with Lin in the backcourt.

Anthony (groin) practiced a little on Wednesday, so it is possible that he could return on Friday, but it’s doubtful and with the Knicks on a winning streak, they’ll be careful with Anthony, who is one of the best isolation players in the league. However, with Lin at the helm, the Knicks have been moving the ball around much better and has been fantastic for their NBA betting chances (along with their merchandising sales). The world is waiting to see how Anthony fits into the offense now, as Amare Stoudemire has come back, but he’ll thrive off Lin’s pick-and-roll ability; Anthony, on the other hand, needs the ball in his hands.

How It Will Play Out

The Knicks will definitely be the NBA betting favorites at the Garden, where they are 3-2 SU and ATS in their last five meetings with the Hornets, and four of those games have gone under the posted total. New York is only 7-8 ATS at home this season, while the Hornets are a decent 7-5 ATS on the road.

How the Hornets handle Lin will be essential to their chances for an upset, and Vasquez’s long frame could pose some problems for Lin, who does turn the ball over quite a bit. However, when it comes down to crunch time, he has a knack for raising his game and you should ride with the Knicks until this streak finally ends. The Hornets don’t have the weapons to keep up with the Knicks, so roll with New York to keep the “Linsanity” going in your online betting book.