The Charlotte Hornets will face the Washington Wizards at the Capital One Arena. We're here to share our NBA odds series, make a Hornets-Wizards prediction, and pick while showing you how to watch.
The Wizards defeated the Hornets 132-116 on Wednesday. Now, the teams are running it back, with the series shifting to the District of Columbia for an NBA in-season tournament game.
The Hornets led 29-24 after the first quarter. However, the Wizards magically erupted for a 41-17 second quarter, making it 64-45 at halftime. The Wizards never looked back and dominated this game. Significantly, Kyle Kuzma led the way with 33 points while shooting 13 for 24 while nabbing nine rebounds. Jordan Poole added 11 points, while Delon Wright added 18 points off the bench. Likewise, Danilo Gallinart had 18 points off the bench, while Landry Shamet also had 15.
LaMelo Ball had 34 points while shooting 13 for 22. Also, Gordon Hayward added 18 points, while P.J. Washington had 14. The Wizards shot 48.5 percent from the field, including 41.9 percent from the triples. Conversely, the Hornets shot 51.9 percent but only 32 percent from the triples. The Wizards won despite losing the board battle 47-40. On the contrary, they also forced the Hornets to commit 20 turnovers.
The Wizards won 3 of 4 last season and are already on their way to a similar pace. Moreover, the Wizards have won three in a row at Capital One Arena against the Hornets. The Wizards have also gone 7-3 in the past 10 games at Capitol One Arena.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Hornets-Wizards Odds
Charlotte Hornets: +3 (-110)
Washington Wizards: -3 (-110)
Over: 240.5 (-110)
Under: 240.5 (-110)
How to Watch Hornets vs. Wizards
Time: 7:10 PM ET/4:10 PM PT
TV: Monumental Sports Media
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread
The Hornets are 2-5, hoping to pull themselves out of this bad start. Therefore, they will need to play better than they did on Wednesday. The Hornets cannot afford another bad quarter.
Ball is their leader, with 19.6 points per game. However, he has not shot the ball well. Ball is shooting 38.7 percent from the field, including 32.1 percent from the triples. Additionally, he averages nine assists per game. Washington is another player that must contribute. Ultimately, he averages 17.9 points per game. Washington is also shooting 52.6 percent from the field. Meanwhile, Hayward has stayed healthy so far. He averages 17.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while also shooting 47.5 percent from the field. Additionally, Mark Williams averages 14.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Williams also is shooting a ridiculous 83 percent from the field.
The Hornets are sixth in the association in field goal shooting percentage. However, they struggle from beyond the arc, ranking 28th in 3-point shooting percentage. The Hornets hit their free throws, ranking 12th from the charity stripe. Likewise, they are 18th in rebounds. The Hornets also often turn the ball over, ranking 20th in the league. Yet, they are 11th in blocked shots.
The Hornets will cover the spread if Ball takes better shots and gets the rest of the offense involved. Then, they need to avoid another bad quarter against the Wizards.
Why The Wizards Could Cover The Spread
The Wizards are also 5-2. Yet, they looked like a playoff team when they destroyed the Hornets on Wednesday. Can they replicate that feat today? They will need to hit their shots again. Likewise, they need to find a way to start doing better on the boards.
The Wizards will once again rely on their top two players. Therefore, expect a lot of Kuzma, who averages 25 points per game while shooting 50.7 percent from the field. Poole averages 17.4 points per game but only shoots 41.5 percent from the floor. Meanwhile, Deni Avdija averages 13 points per game while shooting 52.9 percent from the hardwood.
The Wizards are eighth in field-goal shooting percentage. Yet, they are also 15th in 3-point shooting percentage. The Wizards struggle at the free-throw line, ranking 24th in free throws. Also, they are last in the NBA in rebounds. The Wizards are 17th in turnovers but ninth in blocked shots. Can the Wizards improve on the boards?
The Wizards will cover the spread if Kuzma and Poole continue scoring in droves. Then, they must win the board battle and force the Hornets to commit turnovers again.
Final Hornets-Wizards Prediction & Pick
It is incredibly difficult to predict how a game will go when the teams have just played two days ago. Regardless, the Wizards will be at home, where they have excelled. They also dominated the Hornets on Wednesday. Therefore, look for them to keep playing at a high level against the Hornets.
Final Hornets-Wizards Prediction & Pick: Washington Wizards: -3 (-110)
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