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The Charlotte Hornets will take on the Portland Trail Blazers in an interconference showdown. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Hornets-Blazers prediction and pick for Friday night's game in Porrtland.
The Hornets enter this game as the sixth seed in the East. Charlotte has earned that spot thanks to a dynamic offense led by point guard LaMelo Ball, who's set to match up with one of the game's best in this contest after missing time in the NBA's health and safety protocols. Blazers point guard Damian Lillard has led his team to an uninspiring 11-18 record, good for the 11th-best record in the Western Conference. Lillard and crew always seem to turn it around and wiggle their way into the playoffs, and that could start here against an inexperienced Hornets team at home.
Here are the Hornets-Blazers odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Hornets-Blazers Odds
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Charlotte Hornets: +3 (-112)
Portland Trail Blazers: -3 (-108)
Over: 230.5 (-108)
Under: 230.5 (-112)
Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread
The Hornets have almost exclusively relied on their offense to get things done this season, and there's no reason things should be any different here. Charlotte currently averages a whopping 115 points per game, the second-best figure in the league. The Trail Blazers have been absolutely abysmal on defense this season, allowing an average of 111 points per game. Portland also allows opponents to shoot 47% from the field and 38% from 3-point range, two of the worst defensive figures in the league.
While the Hornets have a solid straight-up record, their record against the spread is even better. Charlotte has earned an 18-12 record in that category, which is good for the fifth-best mark in the NBA. Portland, on the other hand, is literally the worst team in the league at covering the spread. Their record in that category is 10-19, placing them at dead last in the NBA. The Hornets are also 14-9 ATS as underdogs, making this a good spot for a Charlotte pick, especially with Ball set to return from COVID protocols.
Why The Blazers Could Cover The Spread
The recent string of COVID outbreaks across the NBA have hit every single team, and the Hornets are no exception. While LaMelo Ball is now probable to play, there could be some rust there as he works his way back to peak form. The exciting young guard leads his team in points per game, rebounds per game, assists per game, and steals per game. It's not often that one guy dominates every single one of those categories, but Ball is pulling it off. If he struggles badly, the Blazers have a real good shot of winning.
These two teams are actually fairly similar. Both have explosive offenses, and both play little to no defense. The Hornets allow 116 points per game, which is the worst defensive figure in the league. They also allow similar shooting numbers to the Blazers, so Lillard and the Blazers shouldn't have trouble keeping up offensively in this one.
Final Hornets-Blazers Prediction & Pick
With Ball seemingly ready to play here, the Hornets are the right pick. They play a Portland team that is easily one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA, which plays right into Charlotte's hands. Take the Hornets with confidence.
Final Hornets-Blazers Pick: Charlotte Hornets: +3 (-112)