The Charlotte Hornets travel to Salt Lake City to take on the NBA leading Utah Jazz. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Hornets-Jazz prediction and pick.
The Hornets hold an overall record of 14-15 and are 6-4 in their last 10 games, including a narrow win over the Golden State Warriors. The Hornets are 16-12-1 against the spread and will be without Devonte' Graham who is doubtful for Monday's game.
The Jazz, on the other hand, lead the league with a 24-6 record. They dropped their last game against the Los Angeles Clippers, but before that, they were winners of nine straight.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Hornets-Jazz odds.
NBA Odds: Hornets-Jazz Odds
Utah Jazz -13 (-107)
Charlotte Hornets +13 (-113)
Over 227.5 Points (-110)
Under 227.5 Points (-110)
Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread
The Hornets have been a very competitive team this year, and a big part of that has to do with their two additions from the offseason. Gordon Hayward has been a force for Charlotte, leading the team with 21.9 points per game. His efficiency from the field and his stout defense on the wing have helped Buzz City stay in games.
The other addition was rookie LaMelo Ball, who has put himself on top of the Rookie of the Year leaderboard with his phenomenal play on both ends of the court. Ball leads the team in steals, averaging 1.6 per game. Ball's play has been elevated by Terry Rozier, who has put up 33 points or more in his last four starts.
Rozier and the Hornets' offense should be able to keep pace with the high-flying Jazz and make this game close.
Why The Jazz Could Cover The Spread
The Jazz are the best team in the league and for good reason. They are first in the league in 3-point field goals made, and they are tied for third in offensive rating at 117.4 Defensively, it all falls on the shoulders of center Rudy Gobert. The Frenchman is second in the league, averaging 13.5 boards a game. The Jazz as a whole are second in the league averaging 48.8 rebounds per game.
Offensively, they have been successful because they are getting great play out of All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell. He leads the team with 24.6 points per game, but the Jazz can score by a committee and Jordan Clarkson and Bojan Bogdanovic are a big part of that.
Utah has the manpower and defensive prowess to put any team into a hole, and the Hornets are not one of the teams that can keep pace with their high-scoring offense.
Final Hornets-Jazz Prediction & Pick
There is no question that the Jazz are the better team. They are also 13-2 at home, which makes them even scarier. However, based on the spread, I’ll ride with the Hornets to cover in what should be a fairly high-scoring game.
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