New Orleans Pelicans vs Charlotte Hornets Betting Pick & Prediction 1/25/25
At 7:00 ET, the New Orleans Pelicans (-167) will travel to take on the Charlotte Hornets (+141) in a non-conference matchup. The Pelicans are favored by 3.5 points, and the over/under line is set at 227.5 points.
Charlotte is currently on a two-game losing streak and has an overall record of 11-30. The Hornets are 14th in the Eastern Conference and 4th in the Southeast Division. As for the Pelicans, they are 12-33 on the season and are 14th in the Western Conference and 5th in the Southwest Division.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS VS CHARLOTTE HORNETS BETTING PICK
The Pick: New Orleans Pelicans -3.5
This game will be played at Spectrum Center at 7:00 ET on Saturday, January 25th.
WHY BET THE NEW ORLEANS PELICANS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 136-109 in favor of the Pelicans.
- Our projections have Zion Williamson finishing with 23 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists.
- From the field, we have the Pelicans finishing with a field goal percentage of 45.0% and knocking down 15 threes.
Is A Road Victory Likely for the Favored Pelicans?
The Pelicans dropped to 12-33 on the season after a 139-126 road loss to the Grizzlies on Friday. New Orleans entered the game as +9.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The game’s total of 265 points went well over the 243.5-point line.
New Orleans took control in the 2nd quarter, outscoring Memphis 42-29, but an 11-0 run by the Grizzlies shifted momentum. The Pelicans trailed 105-100 going into the 4th, but Memphis pulled away, outscoring them 34-26 in the final period.
In Friday’s loss to the Grizzlies, the Pelicans shot 54.2% from the field and hit 41.2% of their threes, making 14 from beyond the arc. Dejounte Murray led the way with 26 points, 15 of which came in the opening quarter.
Trey Murphy and CJ McCollum each added 22 points, with McCollum connecting on 3 threes at a 60% clip. Jordan Hawkins also contributed 20 points, including 15 in the 2nd quarter.
Defensively, the Pelicans struggled against the Grizzlies, giving up 139 points on 55% shooting. New Orleans allowed 33 points in the 1st quarter and 34 in the 4th, but their toughest stretch came in the 3rd, where they gave up 43 points.
The Grizzlies also hit 19 threes at a 45% clip. The Pelicans sent Memphis to the line just 8 times, where they made all their free throws. New Orleans finished with 6 steals and 3 blocks.
Is a Home Win Possible for the Hornets?
Charlotte dropped to 11-30 on the season after a 102-97 home loss to Portland on Friday. The Hornets, who were +1 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The game’s total of 199 points fell short of the 216.5 O/U line.
Charlotte went on a 16-0 run early, taking the score from 12-10 to 26-12, but the Blazers chipped away, winning the 2nd and 3rd quarters. The Hornets led 75-73 going into the 4th, but Portland outscored them 29-22 in the final period.
The Hornets struggled offensively in their 102-97 loss to the Trail Blazers, shooting just 37.6% from the field and 29% from three-point range, making only 9 threes. Nick Smith Jr. led the team with 17 points, despite shooting 33.3% overall and 20% from beyond the arc.
Josh Okogie contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Mark Williams added 15 points, 11 of which came in the 4th quarter. Josh Green also chipped in 8 of his 14 points in the opening period.
Defensively, the Hornets put together a strong effort, holding the Trail Blazers to 102 points on 40% shooting. They allowed 22 points in the 1st quarter and 23 in the 3rd, but gave up 29 in the 4th.
From beyond the arc, Charlotte limited Portland to 11 threes on 28% shooting. The Hornets finished with 9 steals and 6 blocks.