Best NBA prop bets for Warriors vs. Knicks (Target Josh Hart on the boards)

The injury-riddled New York Knicks host the Golden State Warriors Thursday night in a nationally-televised contest at Madison Square Garden. 

The Knicks are small underdogs having lost multiple starters and leading scorer Jalen Brunson is questionable with a neck injury. New York is trying to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference having lost six of its last eight games while Golden State enters The Mecca having won 11 of its last 14. 

Here are some props to consider for this cross-conference matchup. 

If you’re looking to bet on any NBA game this week, FanDuel Sportsbook has an amazing promotional offer. New users who sign up with the link below and wager $5 will receive $150 in bonus bets if their first bet wins.

Looking to fade some of the recent performances from one half of the Splash Brothers in Thursday’s primetime matchup. Thompson is coming off one of his best shooting displays of a down season, knocking down 6-of-11 three-pointers in Golden State’s 123-112 win over Washington on Tuesday. 

That showing came against a Wizards team that is dead last in the NBA in defensive rating. Thompson has hit 11 three-pointers over the last two games, but has gone under this number of triples in 8 of 12 games this month. 

Thompson is shooting a career-low 37.6% from downtown this season and averaging 17.2 points per game, his lowest scoring output since his second season back in 2013. He’ll face a Knicks’ defense that is No. 11 in net rating and scoring suppresses immensely inside Madison Square Garden with the Knicks style of play. Less possessions equals fewer opportunities for Thompson, which leads to the team prop below. 

It’s national television. The lights are shining bright at the NBA’s most historic arena. And the Knicks are slowing the game down. 

New York plays at the slowest pace in the NBA and it's essential to slow down the game Thursday night against a Golden State offense that is humming and ranks No. 1 in the NBA in road scoring. 

The Knicks are giving up 113.4 points over their last 10 games and if Brunson can’t go, they’ll need to slow it down and try to win a defensive slugfest. With Brunson out on Tuesday, the Knicks scored just 92 points and shot 37.3% from the field. At home, the Knicks are 21-9 to the under and they’ll move like glaciers Thursday night in an attempt to cool down the red-hot Warriors. 

Let’s start with the simple numbers. Hart is only averaging 7.2 rebounds per game this season, but he’s averaged 9.5 rebounds a night in February. Overall, Hart has eclipsed this number in 11 of the last 14 games and finished with eight rebounds in two of the three contests he didn’t get to it. 

At 6-foot-4, Hart is one of the best rebounding guards and helps lead a Knicks team that is No. 5 in total rebounds per game. Golden State is also a top-5 rebounding team in the NBA, but the Warriors still rank No. 20 in offensive rebounds allowed per game. 

New York’s offense has struggled shooting the rock over its recent slide, which has created more opportunities for Hart to add to his rebounding total. He crashes the glass with success on Thursday. 

Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.