Oklahoma City Thunder vs Charlotte Hornets Betting Pick & Prediction 12/28/24

At 6:00 ET, the Charlotte Hornets (7-23) will host the Oklahoma City Thunder (24-5) in a non-conference matchup. The Thunder are currently favored by 12.5 points and have won nine straight games. The over/under line is set at 218.5.

This game will take place at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte and can be seen on NBA TV. The Thunder (-748) are currently 1st in the Western Conference, while the Hornets (+524) are 13th in the East and have lost six straight games.

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER VS CHARLOTTE HORNETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Charlotte Hornets +12.5

This game will be played at Spectrum Center at 6:00 ET on Saturday, December 28th.

WHY BET THE CHARLOTTE HORNETS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 135-96 in favor of the Hornets.
  • Our projections have LaMelo Ball finishing with 27 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists.
  • From the field, we have the Hornets finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.4% and knocking down 15 threes.

Does Oklahoma City Have A Chance at Spectrum Center?

The Thunder improved to 24-5 on the season with a 120-114 win over the Pacers on Thursday. Oklahoma City, favored by 5.5 points, covered the spread with the 6-point victory. The game’s total points of 234 went over the 227.5 O/U line.

After falling behind 12-0 early, the Thunder rallied, outscoring the Pacers 34-32 in the 2nd quarter. They took control by winning the 3rd quarter 30-23 and closed out the game by outscoring Indiana 37-30 in the 4th.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the driving force behind the Thunder’s 120-114 win over the Pacers, putting up 45 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds while shooting 68.2% from the field. He also hit 4 threes, connecting at an 80% rate from deep. Gilgeous-Alexander was especially impactful in the 2nd and 4th quarters, scoring 16 points in each period.

As a team, the Thunder shot 46.3% from the field and made 13 threes at a 35.1% clip. Jalen Williams contributed 20 points, though he shot just 36.4%, and Luguentz Dort added 13 points, hitting 3 threes at 37.5%.

Despite giving up 114 points, the Thunder’s defense did enough to secure the win over the Pacers. They allowed 29 points in the 1st quarter and 32 in the 2nd, but tightened up in the 3rd, holding Indiana to 23 points. The Pacers scored 30 in the final period.

Oklahoma City allowed Indiana to shoot 47% from the field, including 38% from three, with the Pacers hitting 14 threes. The Thunder sent the Pacers to the line 22 times, where they made 16 free throws. Defensively, the Thunder recorded 36 defensive rebounds, gave up 11 offensive boards, and added 4 steals and 4 blocks.

Are Charlotte Ready for a Home Win?

Charlotte’s season continues to be a struggle, as they dropped to 7-23 after a 113-110 loss to the Wizards on Thursday. The Hornets were -4.5 point favorites going into the game but failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 223, falling short of the 229.5 O/U line.

After falling behind 68-54 at halftime, Charlotte rallied in the 3rd quarter, outscoring Washington 33-28. They then went on a 10-0 run, taking the score from 100-99 to 110-99. However, the Wizards clamped down defensively, holding the Hornets to just 17 points in the 4th quarter to complete the comeback.

In Thursday’s 113-110 loss to the Wizards, the Hornets connected on 17 threes, shooting 40.5% from deep. Overall, they shot 43.6% from the field.

LaMelo Ball led the way with 31 points, including 14 in the 3rd quarter. Miles Bridges added 22 points and 14 rebounds, while Brandon Miller chipped in 18 points, hitting 4 threes.

Despite a strong defensive effort in the 4th quarter, where they allowed just 17 points, the Hornets couldn’t overcome their early struggles, giving up 34 points in both the 1st and 2nd quarters in a 113-110 loss to the Wizards. Charlotte held Washington to 42% shooting from the field, including 31% from beyond the arc, where the Wizards hit 14 threes.

The Hornets sent the Wizards to the free-throw line 28 times, with Washington converting 21 of those attempts. Charlotte controlled the boards, allowing 8 offensive rebounds while securing 39 defensive rebounds. They also added 6 steals and 4 blocks in the game.