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The Charlotte Hornets will pay a visit to Wells Fargo Center to take on the Philadelphia 76ers in a 12:30 PM ET tip off. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NBA odds series, which includes our Hornets-Sixers prediction, odds, and pick we have laid out below.
Charlotte took down the New York Knicks, 125-114, in its most recent outing. Miles Bridges scored a game-high 31 points on 11-of-15 shooting to lead the way. Meanwhile, LaMelo Ball dished out a career-high 15 assists and scored 20 points. The Hornets are now winners of eight of their last 10 games and share an identical record (40-37) with the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks.
Meanwhile, the Sixers are coming off a disappointing loss to the Detroit Pistons last Thursday. Joel Embiid had another MVP-type performance with 37 points and 15 rebounds. However, James Harden struggled mightily on the floor as he went just 4-of-15 from the field for 18 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Philly is in a rut as of late, losing three straight.
Here is how FanDuel has set the Hornets-Sixers NBA odds for this Saturday noon NBA matchup.
NBA odds: Hornets–Sixers Odds
Charlotte Hornets: +5 (-110)
Philadelphia 76ers: -5 (-110)
Over: 229.5 (-110)
Under: 229.5 (-110)
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Why the Hornets could cover the spread
The Hornets have been in a good rhythm over the past three weeks. Over their last 10, they are 7th in points per game (119.3), 4th in field goal percentage (50.1%), and 3rd in three-point percentage (40%).
Charlotte could get a veteran lift too, with Gordon Hayward planning to make his return after a 22-game absence, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Hornets officially listed the 6-foot-7 forward as probable. He has been out since February 7 due to an ankle injury.
With Hayward set to return, the Hornets will have everyone on their main roster available for this afternoon.
The Hornets have a 41-32 record against the spread this season. And with the team surging like this over the last three weeks coupled with Philadelphia struggling as of late, there's a good chance they could improve on that mark after the conclusion of this game. Charlotte holds a 20-18 record on the road and a 24-23 mark against East teams.
Why the Sixers could cover the spread
Philadelphia hasn't been playing well as of late, which could be a cause for concern. After a loss to the Phoenix Suns last Sunday, they blew a 14-point lead and loss to the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. Their struggles were more magnified when they lost to the tanking Detroit Pistons despite getting 37 points from Joel Embiid. Nonetheless, it could only be a matter of time before they snap out of their funk.
The Sixers have a 36-39 record against the spread. The 5-point spread isn't the slimmest either. And if we're looking at Philadelphia's last two wins over the Hornets, they don't cover it. The Sixers won 127-124 in overtime on December 6, then beat the Hornets by four two nights later. Nonetheless, the cast of characters are different now, especially on the Sixers' side. James Harden is now here. And though he hasn't looked like the James Harden we've been used to seeing, he is still capable of putting up big numbers on any given night.
The Sixers don't have any notable names on their injury list. This last stretch of the regular season is a good opportunity for them to develop a rhythm into the postseason.
Final Hornets–Sixers prediction and pick
This is a tough one since the Sixers are the obvious favorites based on their star power. But, they've been struggling lately, so I'd probably take the Hornets for this one. Charlotte's offense has been clicking, which is one of the reasons why it has won eight of 10.
Final Hornets–Sixers Prediction & Pick: Hornets: +5 (-110)
