The Charlotte Hornets head north of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors for an Eastern Conference matchup on Monday night. Below is our NBA odds series as ClutchPoints hands out a Hornets-Raptors prediction and pick. We will also let you know how to watch the game.
Charlotte (7-17) is looking to snap a four-game losing streak after getting dismantled by the Philadelphia 76ers 135-82 this weekend — the largest margin of victory so far this season. Only two Hornets scored in double figures on Saturday night — Brandon Miller with 14 points and Miles Bridges with 12 points. Charlotte was held to just 36.3 percent field goal shooting and 7-of-35 shooting from beyond the arc. The game went south for the Hornets in a hurry as they gave up 73 points to the Sixers at halftime and fell by 29 points at the half.
Meanwhile, Toronto (10-15) is looking to bounce back from a 125-104 loss to the Atlanta Hawks last Friday. The Raptors had no answer for Hawks star Trae Young, who erupted for 38 points, five rebounds, 11 assists, and seven three-pointers. Scottie Barnes led the way for Toronto with 23 points and eight assists, while Pascal Siakam and Jakob Poeltl added 15 points apiece. The Raptors have lost five of their last six games.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Hornets-Raptors Odds
Charlotte Hornets: +12 (-114)
Toronto Raptors: -12 (-106)
Over: 224 (-110)
Under: 224 (-110)
How to Watch Hornets vs. Raptors
Time: 7:30 PM ET/ 4:30 PM PT
TV: Bally Sports Southeast, TSN
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread
Charlotte is 10-14 against the spread this season and has covered in just four of their 10 road games so far. On the over/under, Hornets games have gone above the point total in 14 of their 24 games, including 7-of-10 on the road.
The Hornets should be determined to snap a four-game slide, especially after losing by a season-high margin in their last outing. Nonetheless, Charlotte did win its first encounter against Toronto just 10 days ago.
Look for Terry Rozier to bounce back after putting up a dud (six points on 3-of-10 shooting and 0-of-5 from three) against Philadelphia. Prior to Saturday's brutal loss, Rozier averaged 25.7 points on 48.5 percent shooting from the field and 46.4 percent shooting from three since returning from a nine-game absence in November. He is listed as probable with a left thumb sprain, but it's looking likely that he is a go for Monday.
Miles Bridges has picked up where he left off when he last played in the NBA in 2021-22. In 14 games so far, Bridges is averaging 19.6 points and 7.2 rebounds while shooting 47.0 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from three.
Several Hornets players are unfortunately on the IL for this game. The Hornets are still without LaMelo Ball, who is still recovering from a right ankle sprain. Mark Williams continues to deal with his back injury and is doubtful, while Gordon Hayward is questionable on the injury list with a stomach virus. PJ Washington, who has missed Charlotte's last two games, is also questionable with a left shoulder injury.
Why The Raptors Could Cover The Spread
Meanwhile, Toronto is 12-13 against the spread so far and has covered half of its 14 games at Scotiabank Arena this season. Raptors games have also gone over the points total in 13 of 25 games, including seven of the 14 at home.
The Raptors have been in a bit of a funk and are losers of five of their last six. They are pretty hefty 12-point favorites for this one, which is quite surprising considering the Hornets beat Toronto 119-116 the last time these two teams met, though that game did happen on Charlotte's home floor. The Raptors tend to play much better at home (7-7) than on the road (3-8).
Scottie Barnes is in the midst of a breakout third season and is averaging 20.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists.
Meanwhile, despite being in the trade rumor mill as of late, Pascal Siakam has continued to play like an All-Star. Before scoring just 15 points on Friday, the Cameroonian averaged 25.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists over the previous six games.
The Raptors enter this game with no notable players on the injury list, so that should help their case in covering the spread.
Final Hornets-Raptors Prediction & Pick
The Raptors should come away with the win here, but I'll take the Hornets to cover the spread on this one. 12 points seems a bit too much considering there isn't much discrepancy between the two teams in terms of talent. But keep track of Charlotte's injuries ahead of tip-off. Apart from LaMelo Ball, they could miss several key players like PJ Washington, Gordon Hayward, and Mark Williams. Likewise, take the under for this. The Raptors and the Hornets are two of the worst offenses in the NBA, so don't expect a high-scoring affair on Monday night.
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