Charlotte Hornets vs Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Pick & Prediction 1/5/25

At 6:00 ET, the Cleveland Cavaliers will host the Charlotte Hornets in an Eastern Conference matchup. The Cavaliers are currently favored by 15.5 points and have won nine straight games. The Hornets, on the other hand, have lost nine in a row and are 754-point underdogs.

This game will be played at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland and can be seen on FDSO. The over/under line for this game is currently set at 222.5 points.

CHARLOTTE HORNETS VS CLEVELAND CAVALIERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Charlotte Hornets +15.5

This game will be played at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse at 6:00 ET on Sunday, January 5th.

WHY BET THE CHARLOTTE HORNETS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 135-129 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 45.5% and knocking down 15 threes.

Can Charlotte Secure a Road Victory?

The Hornets fell to 7-26 on the season after a 98-94 road loss to the Pistons on Friday. Charlotte, who came in as +7.5 point underdogs, kept it closer than expected, losing by just four points. The game’s total of 192 points was well below the O/U line of 215.5.

Charlotte started strong, leading 65-52 at halftime after winning the 2nd quarter 34-26. However, they were outscored 32-17 in the 3rd quarter and entered the 4th down 84-82. They managed just 12 points in the final period, while Detroit scored 14 to seal the win.

In their 98-94 loss to the Pistons, the Hornets struggled offensively, shooting just 41.2% from the field and hitting 9 threes at a 30% clip. Miles Bridges led the way with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists, despite shooting 31.2% overall. He connected on 3 threes, shooting 42.9% from deep.

Mark Williams added 18 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 58.3% from the floor. Nick Richards contributed 10 points and 5 assists, hitting 57.1% of his shots. Bridges scored 7 points in both the 1st and 2nd quarters, while Williams added 8 of his points in the 2nd.

Despite a strong defensive effort, the Hornets couldn’t capitalize, allowing 98 points in their loss to the Pistons. Charlotte gave up 26 points in both the 1st and 2nd quarters, then 32 in the 3rd, but tightened up in the 4th, allowing just 14 points. Overall, they held Detroit to 41% shooting.

The Hornets limited the Pistons to 12 three-pointers on 32% shooting from beyond the arc and sent them to the line just 13 times, where they made 8 free throws. Charlotte finished with 36 defensive rebounds but allowed 14 offensive boards, while also recording 8 steals and 6 blocks.

Can the Cavaliers Pull Out the Win as Home Favorites?

The Cavaliers improved to 30-4 this season with a 134-122 win over the Mavericks on Friday. Cleveland, favored by -9.5, covered the spread with the 12-point victory. The game’s total of 256 points went well over the pre-game line of 226.5.

A 20-0 run by Cleveland turned the score from 21-20 to 41-20, giving them control of the game. The Cavaliers led 100-85 going into the 4th quarter, and although Dallas outscored them 37-34 in the final period, Cleveland held on for the win.

Evan Mobley led the Cavaliers to a win over the Mavericks, scoring 34 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, shooting 66.7% from the field and hitting 3 threes at 50%. Caris LeVert added 17 points, and Darius Garland contributed 16 points and 9 assists.

Cleveland shot 53.1% from the field, making 15 threes at a 37.5% rate. Mobley scored 18 points in the 2nd quarter, and added 11 more in the 3rd.

The Cavaliers held the Mavericks to 122 points on Friday, despite a rough 4th quarter where they gave up 37 points. Cleveland’s defense was strong in the 1st quarter, allowing just 21 points, but they conceded 32 points in both the 2nd and 3rd quarters.

Defensively, the Cavaliers limited Dallas to 43% shooting from the field and just 27% from three-point range, with the Mavericks making 12 threes. Cleveland also recorded 36 defensive rebounds, but they allowed 21 offensive boards. The Cavaliers added 5 steals and 7 blocks.