Charlotte Hornets vs Washington Wizards Betting Pick & Prediction 12/26/24
The Hornets (-172) will be looking to snap a five-game losing streak when they take on the Wizards (+146) in a Southeast Division matchup. The over/under line for the game is 227.5 points.
This game will be played at the Capital One Arena in Washington and is scheduled to tip off at 7:00 ET. The Hornets are currently 13th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 7-22, while the Wizards are 15th in the East and have dropped two straight.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS VS WASHINGTON WIZARDS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Charlotte Hornets -4
This game will be played at Capital One Arena at 7:00 ET on Thursday, December 26th.
WHY BET THE CHARLOTTE HORNETS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 135-126 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 the Hornets Pull Out the Win as Road Favorites?
The Hornets fell to 7-22 on the season after a 114-101 home loss to the Rockets on Monday. Charlotte, who entered the game as +6 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game came in at 215, falling short of the 221-point over/under line.
Houston took control early, going on a 14-0 run to extend their lead from 14-10 to 28-14. The Rockets dominated the 1st and 2nd quarters, outscoring the Hornets 62-31. Charlotte showed some fight in the 2nd half, winning the 3rd and 4th quarters 70-52, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit.
The Hornets struggled offensively in their 114-101 loss to the Rockets, shooting just 41.6% from the field and hitting only 10 threes at a 27.8% clip. Miles Bridges led the way with 24 points and 8 rebounds, while LaMelo Ball added 23 points and connected on 5 threes at 45.5% efficiency.
Bridges scored 15 of his points in the 4th quarter, while Ball added 13 in the 3rd. Moussa Diabaté was perfect from the field, finishing with 14 points, including 6 in the final period.
Despite a strong defensive effort in the 4th quarter, where they allowed just 22 points, the Hornets couldn’t overcome their earlier struggles, giving up 31 points in both the 1st and 2nd quarters, and 30 in the 3rd, leading to a 114-101 loss to the Rockets. Charlotte held Houston to 43% shooting from the field.
The Hornets did a solid job defending the perimeter, as the Rockets hit 13 threes on 31% shooting. Houston also went 15/19 from the free-throw line. Charlotte finished with 8 steals and 6 blocks but allowed 21 offensive rebounds.
Can the Wizards Hold Strong at Home?
The Wizards fell to 4-23 on the season after a 123-105 loss to the Thunder on Monday. Washington entered the game as +18 point underdogs, and the final score resulted in a push. The total points for the game were 228, just over the pre-game line of 226.5.
Washington started strong, leading 32-29 after the 1st quarter. However, a 15-0 run by the Thunder in the 2nd quarter shifted momentum. The Wizards kept it close, entering the 4th quarter down 91-87, but were outscored 32-18 in the final period.
In their 123-105 loss to the Thunder, the Wizards shot just 39.6% from the field, but connected on 16 threes at a 37.2% rate. Jordan Poole led the way with 31 points, hitting 5 threes at 41.7% efficiency.
Bub Carrington added 14 points, knocking down 4 threes at 50% from deep. Poole scored 16 of his points in the 2nd quarter, while Jonas Valančiūnas added 8 of his 12 points in the opening period.
Defensively, the Wizards struggled in the 2nd quarter, giving up 38 points, which contributed to their 123-105 loss to the Thunder. Despite the loss, they did manage to hold Oklahoma City to just 10 made threes on 26% shooting from beyond the arc.
Washington sent the Thunder to the line 22 times, where they hit 19 free throws. The Wizards finished with 38 defensive rebounds but allowed 19 offensive boards. They also recorded 7 steals and 8 blocks in the game.