The Charlotte Hornets face off against the Golden State Warriors for the second time in less than a week. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Hornets-Warriors prediction and pick.
The Hornets narrowly won the first encounter by a score of 102-100 at home, and now they head to the Chase Center in San Francisco to play on the road. They are one game under .500 with a record of 15-16 and sit in 8th place in the Eastern Conference. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games.
The Warriors are 18-15 and are winners of two in a row. They are seventh in the Western Conference and are 6-4 in their last 10 outings.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening 76ers-Blazers NBA odds.
NBA Odds: Hornets-Warriors Odds
Golden State Warriors -6.5 (-108)
Charlotte Hornets +6.5 (-112)
Over 233 Points (-110)
Under 233 Points (-110)
Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread
The Hornets continue to play good team basketball, fresh off a big road win against the Phoenix Suns. LaMelo Ball continues to impress in his rookie season. He has scored 20 points or more in the last two games but was reduced to just seven points against the Warriors in their last meeting.
Unlike Hornets teams in the past, this year they have a ton of depth. They got 29 points from Malik Monk in their game against the Suns, and veteran Gordon Hayward has scored 15 or more points in nine of the team's last 11 games. Hayward is proving that he's worth every cent of the lucrative contract he signed in the offseason, shooting 48.6 percent from the field.
Hayward has been a force for Charlotte, leading the team with 21.8 points per game. His efficiency from the field and his stout defense on the wing have helped Buzz City stay in games.
The Hornets haven't made the playoff since the 2015-16 season, but with the play of Ball and Hayward, they are on the right track of breaking that streak. The Hornets' should be able to keep it a close game, similar to their clash less than a week ago, and cover the 6.5 points.
They will still be without Devonte' Graham, who is dealing with a left knee problem.
Why The Warriors Could Cover The Spread
The Warriors are undoubtedly the surprise team in the NBA this season. They lost Klay Thompson to an ACL injury before the season started, and even with the addition of Kelly Oubre Jr., they were not picked as a playoff team by any standards.
Enter Stephen Curry who has done everything and more to help make this team remain competitive. Curry is second in the association in points per game with 30. When he gets hot, there is no one in the league that is more deadly. Winners of two straight on the road, the Dubs are back at home where they have an 11-6 record.
They also lead the Western Conference with 27.8 assists per game, led by Draymond Green who is averaging 8.4. The Warriors will need to continue to get scoring from players not named Stephen Curry to be successful, and if they do so on Friday night, they have a good chance to cover the 6.5-point spread.
Final Hornets-Warriors Prediction & Pick
This should be a highly entertaining game between two teams who played each other recently. The Warriors are the favorite, but the 6.5 points is a bit of stretch against a durable Hornets team. The OVER of 233 is also a lot of points, even for these high-scoring teams. In both cases, you should look at the Hornets to cover with the UNDER, as the underdogs have done very well this season.
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