The Charlotte Hornets will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in a cross-conference matchup. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Hornets-Timberwolves prediction and pick.
This game has the potential to be one of the most exciting matchups of the season. Point guard LaMelo Ball has led the Hornets to a 29-29 record while heading up one of the best offenses in the NBA. The Timberwolves are a remarkably similar team, as they own a 30-27 record. Minnesota also relies on a fast-paced offense to win them games, so it should be interesting to see how this battle plays out. Let's cut to the chase and get into the pick.
Here are the Hornets-Timberwolves NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Hornets-Timberwolves Odds
Charlotte Hornets: +6.5 (-114)
Minnesota Timberwolves: -6.5 (-108)
Over: 244 (-110)
Under: 244 (-110)
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Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread
The Timberwolves are a great matchup for this Hornets team. Minnesota's mediocre defense should allow plenty of points to this high-octane Charlotte offense. Head coach James Borrego's team averages 113 points per game on middling shooting numbers. Their strength comes from the pace that they play with. The Hornets average 16 fast-break points per game and 92 field goal attempts per game, two of the highest numbers in the NBA. The Timberwolves have been terrible at defending against fast breaks, as they allow nearly 14 points per game in that category. They also commit 14 turnovers per game, which should help the Hornets get out in transition early and often.
The Hornets have actually been one of the better teams in the league when it comes to covering the spread. Charlotte is 32-26 in that category, a record which is the eighth-best in the league. They're also 13-11 ATS when they enter games as a road underdog. This is one of the best possible situations to pick the Hornets in.
Why The Timberwolves Could Cover The Spread
Much of what was said above about the Hornets' offense can be said about Minnesota's attack. They play at an extremely high pace, shooting nearly 92 times per game and scoring 14 fast-break points per contest. Their shooting numbers are just as mediocre as the Hornets' stats, but the speed of their offense makes up for it. That should play well against Charlotte's abysmal defense. The Hornets rank inside the bottom 10 in the league in nearly every single defensive stat, including points per game and shooting percentage allowed. This is a fantastic matchup for any offense, especially a good one like Minnesota's.
Injuries will play a large part in determining the outcome of this contest. Charlotte will be incredibly shorthanded at small forward and shooting guard, as starting forward Gordon Hayward will miss this game. Backup shooting guard Cody Martin will also miss this game, stretching the Hornets thin at those two positions. Kelly Oubre Jr. and Terry Rozier will be forced to take on huge workloads in this game, which should take a toll given the pace these teams play with.
Final Hornets-Timberwolves Prediction & Pick
This game will be closer than anticipated. The Hornets are good enough on offense to keep things close with the Timberwolves despite their injuries. This spread is just a little bit too big to justify a Minnesota pick here.
Final Hornets-Timberwolves Prediction & Pick: Charlotte Hornets: +6.5 (-114)
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