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The Charlotte Hornets head to Brooklyn to take on the Nets at the Barclays Center on Thursday. The Nets currently lead the way in the Eastern Conference despite so many injuries of late. They are a dominant championship contender that is a threat to win every night. On the other side is a surprisingly good Hornets team that sits in the fourth spot in the East. The first matchup between these two teams this season saw a 106-104 Hornets victory in Charlotte. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Hornets-Nets prediction and pick.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Hornets-Nets odds.
NBA Odds: Hornets-Nets Odds
Charlotte Hornets +3 (-107)
Over 224 Points (-107)
Under 224 Points (-113)
Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread
The Hornets have already surpassed their win total from the 2019-2020 NBA season. They are currently on pace to reach the postseason for the first time since the 2016 season. Charlotte is an exciting young team to watch this year even after losing electrifying rookie superstar LaMelo Ball to an injury. The Hornets have been hot, winning four of their last five games to date. The only loss in that stretch came at the hands of the Phoenix Suns, which they followed up with a double-digit win against the Washington Wizards.
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The bounce-back performance against the Wizards saw great performances from some key Hornets. Leading scorer Terry Rozier (20.7 PPG) went for 27 points, seven boards, four assists, and five 3-pointers. Gordon Hayward also turned in a nice performance with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists in the win. Charlotte has seen surprisingly great games from big man Cody Zeller lately as well. In Tuesday's win, Zeller registered a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds, with five of those coming on the offensive end. Charlotte is 5-0 ATS in its last five and 3-0 ATS in its last three games as the underdog.
Why The Nets Could Cover The Spread
The Nets have been dominant this season, even with injuries. They have been playing lights out all year and especially of late. Brooklyn has won 19 of its last 22 games and five of six. They are also currently on a nice three-game winning streak, despite the absence of key players Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge. The Nets have seen consistent play at the top and surprisingly great performances from guys like Bruce Brown. Steve Nash has his group playing great team basketball.
Brooklyn survived a close one Wednesday against the lowly Houston Rockets. The Nets were down by six with 7:30 to go before ending the game on a 25-7 run. Kyrie Irving led the way in the win with 31 points and 12 assists. He had some help from Joe Harris, who registered 28 points on seven made triples. Harris is currently third in the NBA in 3-point shooting at 48.9%. James Harden turned in a predictably great game as well with 17 points, eight boards, and six assists despite missing the whole fourth quarter with a hamstring injury. The Nets average 119.1 points per game and currently lead the NBA in scoring.
Final Hornets-Nets Prediction & Pick
I'm very intrigued by the way the Hornets have played of late and the trends that may be working in their favor. Brooklyn's consistent success at the Barclays Center can't be ignored, though. They play dominant basketball in Brooklyn and have some added momentum with the late comeback win. I see the early struggles against Houston being a wakeup call for Steve Nash's group. They will come out with energy on both ends and take care of business in a game that they are expected to win 10 times out of 10, even if James Harden doesn't play.
FINAL PICK: Brooklyn Nets -3 (-113)
