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The Charlotte Hornets (9-24) visit the Portland Trail Blazers (17-16) on Monday night. Action tips off at 10:10 pm ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Hornets-Blazers prediction and pick.
Charlotte has won two of their last three games but still sits in 14th place in the Eastern Conference. The Hornets are 15-17-1 against the spread while 55% of their games have gone over. Portland has lost four of their last five games to drop them to ninth place in the Western Conference. The Blazers are 20-13 against the spread while 52% of their games have gone under. This will be the second and final meeting between the two teams. Portland took the first game in Charlotte, 105-95.
Here are the Hornets-Blazers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Hornets-Blazers Odds
Charlotte Hornets: +5.5 (-110)
Portland Trail Blazers: -5.5 (-110)
Over: 237.5 (-110)
Under: 237.5 (-110)
Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread
The Hornets have had a rough season but have looked much better with point guard LaMelo Ball in the lineup. Unfortunately, Ball has been limited to just nine games this season. However, he's played in five consecutive games and finally looks to be past his ankle injury. That's good news for Charlotte backers tonight given the Trail Blazers' poor perimeter defense. Ball is in a great spot to propel his team to cover as he's been playing very well lately. Over his last five games, Ball has averaged 25.8 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 8.0 APG. He's shooting 42% from beyond the arc during that span while attempting over 11 threes per game. Ball has developed into a nightly triple-double threat and is the type of player who could single-handily force his team to cover.
With Ball back and stealing all the highlights, wing Kelly Oubre Jr. has slipped into the background. That being said, he remains a skilled scorer and a capable secondary option for the Hornets. Missing Ball for 20 games inflated his season-long numbers, but Oubre still averages 20.8 PPG and 1.7 SPG while shooting 43% from the field. He's in the midst of a cold stretch across his last five games where Oubre has shot just 39% from the field and 26% from three.
The biggest X-factor for Charlotte tonight is that of guard Terry Rozier. Rozier ranks second on the team in scoring as he averages 21 PPG. He's not a particularly efficient shooter (40%) and has seen his minutes dip in Ball's return (28 MPG in the last five games). However, he is coming off one of his best games of the season when he helped lead the Hornets to a wild win over the Lakers. He scored 23 points in the win on 9-15 shooting. Portland has struggled to contain opposing guards all season – potentially setting Rozier up for another strong outing.
Why The Blazers Could Cover The Spread
If Portland is going to cover tonight, they're going to need to bounce back after a series of poor performances. They've won just one of their last five games and have quickly found themselves on the outside looking into the Western Conference playoffs. That being said, the Blazers are an experienced team with a number of skilled players. They've already handled Charlotte with ease this season and are in a good position to cover as home favorites.
It was the Damian Lillard show in their earlier win over Charlotte – a formula Portland would be wise to replicate tonight. Lillard scored 26 points and notably drained six of 12 three-pointers in the win. That was just another day at the office for Dame. The veteran continues to be one of the best guards in the NBA. This season he's averaged 28 PPG and 7.1 APG while shooting 45% from the field and 39% from three. Charlotte is incredibly vulnerable on defense, especially on the perimeter. A home matchup against a weak defensive unit could be just what Dame needed to turn Portland's favors around.
The X-factor tonight for Portland has to be center Jusuf Nurkic. The burley big man missed their last matchup with Charlotte but is listed as probable here. His return would do wonders for a Portland team who has struggled to defend the rim and rebound at times this season. Nurkic has been very strong in home games this season, averaging 16.1 PPG, 10.9 RPG, and 1.2 BPG. He's shooting 56% across his 13 home appearances and is in a great spot to continue his home success against a Charlotte team lacking a true rim protector.
Final Hornets-Blazers Prediction & Pick
Portland has already taken down Charlotte by double digits this season and now gets to play them at home. The Blazers haven't played well lately but have a get-right game ahead of them versus the Hornets' horrible defense. Ride the home favorites with confidence.
Final Hornets-Blazers Prediction & Pick: Portland Trail Blazers -5.5 (-110)
