In a league where nearly everyone launches 3-pointers at will, a player has to be truly great at shooting the ball to stand out in this era of the NBA. Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel is proving to be a great shooter, and his rise has the Hornets buzzing (pun very much intended) right now.
The Hornets have been one of the hottest teams in the league since the start of the new year, with 12 wins in their past 17 games, including their first seven-game win streak in 10 years. Knueppel has been a driving force for their success, and he’s closing in on a rookie record if he can maintain his hot shooting.
Entering Thursday’s game against the Houston Rockets, Knueppel has hit 166 3-pointers. Barring anything unforeseen, Knueppel should surpass 206 3-pointers this season, a record that Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray set in 2023.
So, when will he do it? Oddsmakers have released odds for the exact date that Knueppel will hit number 207, and depending on the book, you can find some value on your favorite choice.
First, let’s just dive into his numbers this season. Knueppel is shooting 42.5 percent from deep and hitting 3.3 3s per game. He needs 41 more 3-pointers for the record, which works out to roughly 13 games. (It helps that he’s only missed one game this season, so we can reasonably expect him to be available.)
Over their next 13 games, the Hornets will play the Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks twice, the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat.
Four of those teams rank in the bottom 10 in most 3-pointers allowed, and four of them rank in the top-10 in fewest 3s allowed. That should balance out the good and bad shooting performances — he’s had more good shooting games than bad, but even the best can have an off night. If he maintains his current shooting pace, he’ll be in range by the time the Hornets play the Celtics on March 4 and the Heat on March 6.
The smartest way to bet this market is to compare the odds at different books and look for the longest odds available for each game within this range. For an event that has this many variables, the value is only there if we can find odds with a decent payout.
Betting on the NBA?
The best odds for him to break the record against the Celtics are 10/1 at Caesars. The best odds for him to break the record against the Heat are +600 at bet365.
I’m also adding the Mavericks game on March 3. Knueppel’s career-high in 3-pointers made came against the Mavericks when he faced his former Duke teammate and Rookie of the Year frontrunner Cooper Flagg.
He splashed eight 3s in that game and seemed motivated to best his college buddy, who also scored a career-high 49 points in the game.
The best odds on the Mavericks game are 14/1 at FanDuel, which gives us two bets with 10/1 odds or longer.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.
