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Wednesday in the Association will feature two elite Eastern Conference teams! It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Hornets-76ers prediction and pick.
The Charlotte Hornets are one of the league's most improved teams. They are currently 22-19 which is good for 7th in the East. Charlotte is coming off of back-to-back wins against the Milwaukee Bucks as both were at home. They've won three-straight games and could make it four with a win against the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers are 23-16 on the season which puts them 5th in the East. They are 4.5 games out of first and need this win badly to become within a half-game of the Bucks. They have won seven straight games and are coming off an easy win against the Houston Rockets. The 76ers won the last time these two teams faced off.
Here are the Hornets-76ers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Hornets-76ers Odds
Charlotte Hornets: +5.5 (-106)
Philadelphia 76ers: -5.5 (-114)
Over: 225.5 (-110)
Under: 225.5 (-110)
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Why The Hornets Could Cover This Spread
I think the Hornets have a great chance of covering this spread. Charlotte is 14-9 against the East this year and has the second-highest scoring average in the NBA at 115.2 points per game. The Hornets are 6-4 in their last 10 games but the problem has been their defense. They are allowing 113 points per game which is too many. Luckily for them, they are scoring more than that on average but they need to improve that defense if they want to continue to have success.
Miles Bridges jumped LaMelo Ball on scoring as he now averages 19.5 points per game, with Ball averaging 19.4 per game. This is a good young basketball team that can compete with anyone. Once they get more experience together as a group, this could be one of the scarier teams in the league. They already contain “Scary Terry,” Terry Rozier who averages 18.1 points per game and is a good complementary guard to Ball. This team has about 10 players who can score points and contributes on a regular basis. If they want to cover this spread, they will need to share the wealth and shut down Joel Embiid.
Why The 76ers Could Cover The Spread
Joe Embiid will be the main factor for the 76ers tonight. They need him to dominant in the worst way. He's averaging 27 points per game and continues to be among the top centers in the NBA. They are seeing great play from Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey this season. Seth Curry also continues to shoot the lights out, shooting over 51% from the floor and 41% from three. This is an offense that can really score but they make their mark on the defensive end. In their last 10 games, the 76ers are 8-2 and are allowing just 103 points per game. They are scoring around 112 per game which is a great sign.
If the 76ers want to cover this spread, they need to defend well and make sure that the offense runs through Embiid. The Hornets don't have anyone besides Mason Plumlee who can really stop him. Charlotte will try and utilize their role players as usual but will be without Kelly Oubre Jr. in this one. The 76ers could also be missing some crucial players like Curry and Harris (who are both listed as day-to-day.)
Final Hornets-76ers Prediction & Pick
I'm going to take the Hornets to cover this spread. This should be a close and exciting matchup. I believe the 76ers have a strong chance to win this game, but I think Charlotte will take them down to the wire.
Final Hornets-76ers Prediction & Pick: Hornets +5.5 (-106)
