Welcome back to our NBA predictions and picks series as we're ready to bring you coverage of this next game between rivals in the Southeast Division. The Washington Wizards (1-5) will take on the Charlotte Hornets (2-4) in a tight game as both teams try to get back on track. Check out our NBA odds series for our Wizards-Hornets prediction and pick.
The Washington Wizards have just one win on the season so far as it came against the Grizzlies. Since, they've lost four consecutive games with two being by double-digits. They'll have a chance to get back in the win column against another struggling team as they're looking to have all of their players healthy ahead of this one.
The Charlotte Hornets currently have two wins over the Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers. They've beaten the two best teams on their schedule thus far, so there's definitely some hope for this young Hornets' squad as they try to hang in the East. They'll face their worst opponent record-wise and have the slight advantage on the betting lines.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Wizards-Hornets Odds
Washington Wizards: +3 (-106)
Charlotte Hornets: -3 (-114)
Over: 241 (-110)
Under: 241 (-110)
How to Watch Wizards vs. Hornets
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT
TV: Bally Sports South, Monumental Sports Network, NBA League Pass
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Wizards Could Cover The Spread
The Wizards opened their season with an impressive win over the Memphis Grizzlies, but it's been mostly downhill from that point. This will be their fourth consecutive road game of this current trip and they're hoping to come back home with one win to show for it. A major hole in the Wizards this year has been their defense. They're not very imposing on that end of the floor as teams manage to shoot high percentages against them. They gave up 130 points to the Hawks and 146 to the 76ers just recently, so expect the Wizards to have some pride here as they try to take advantage of a Hornets squad also down on their luck.
Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole have been leading the way in scoring for the Wizards, averaging 23.7 and 18.5 PPG respectively. While the two are able to get their own buckets, the Wizards often fall into the trap of playing one-on-one basketball. While it works for them at certain points, defenses often pick up on Kuzma and Poole as they don't have many other options for scoring. On defense, the Wizards will have to play hard for a change and force the Hornets into costly turnovers. They're the taller team as far as matchups go so expect the Wizards to work the ball inside with their lengthy wing players.
Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread
The Charlotte Hornets had their last win over the reeling Indiana Pacers and they were able to close it out with some late-game heroics from LaMelo Ball. He added another 30 points en route to a triple-double against Dallas in their last game. It's clear he's their most consistent scoring option and the Hornets are happy to see he's constantly evolving as a sure-passer. However, the Hornets have been in a shooting slump from three-point range and went 8-20 in their latest game. Expect them to be a bit more conservative here against the active defense of the Wizards, but they'll still have the confidence to keep letting it fly from three.
The Hornets will be dealing with a number of injuries as they play without Terry Rozier and Cody Martin. They're also awaiting the return of Miles Bridges from suspension, so we've hardly seen the best of what the Hornets are capable of. In terms of facing off against the Wizards, the Hornets are actually 7-3 ATS in their last 10 meetings and will be the slightest favorites in this one. Expect LaMelo Ball to build on his momentum from the last two game as he hopes to continue feeding the hot hand.
Final Wizards-Hornets Prediction & Pick
These two teams are very similar as far as statistics go as they both average the same point total and field goal percentage numbers. The Wizards will have the taller team, but they haven't been doing a great job on defense. If they can contain LaMelo Ball, they should be able to scratch across this win.
However, the Hornets will be hungry for their first home win since the opener and they've got a golden opportunity as home favorites. I expect LaMelo Ball to take over another game; this time with his passing abilities. If the Hornets can riase their assist numbers and play complementary basketball, they should have a shot to cover against Washington. For our prediction, let's roll with the Charlotte Hornets.
Final Wizards-Hornets Prediction & Pick: Charlotte Hornets -3 (-114)
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