After a stretch of three wins in the last four games, the Charlotte Hornets will visit the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. The Hornets are in the middle of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference, posting a 23-22 record in the first 45 games. The Wizards are attempting to join the play-in conversation, and Washington will face an interesting challenge on the second night of a back-to-back set at home. LaMelo Ball (wrist) is out for the Hornets, with Malik Monk (foot) listed as probable. Bradley Beal (hip) is listed as questionable for the Wizards.
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. The latest Hornets vs. Wizards odds list Charlotte as a 3.5-point favorite, while the over-under for total points expected is set at 228.5. Before finalizing any Wizards vs. Hornets picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and it has returned more than $8,800 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up more than $800 on its top-rated picks this season, and dating back to last year, it entered Week 15 of the 2020-21 NBA schedule on a stunning 93-59 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Hornets vs. Wizards. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Wizards vs. Hornets:
- Hornets vs. Wizards spread: Hornets -3.5
- Hornets vs. Wizards over-under: 228.5 points
- Hornets vs. Wizards money line: Hornets -160; Wizards +140
- CHA: The Hornets are 6-4 against the spread in the last 10 games
- WASH: The Wizards are 2-5 against the spread in Southeast Division games
Featured Game | Washington Wizards vs. Charlotte Hornets
Why the Hornets can cover
Even with Ball sidelined, the Hornets have stellar perimeter players to lean on in this matchup. Terry Rozier is enjoying the best season of his career, averaging a team-leading 20.5 points per game and shooting 41.6 percent from 3-point range. After arriving as a big-ticket acquisition in free agency, Gordon Hayward has been tremendous, averaging 19.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while knocking down 40.8 percent of his long-range offerings.
As a team, the Hornets are converting 38.4 percent from 3-point distance, and the Wizards are a bottom-five team in defending the arc, allowing opponents to shoot more than 38 percent for the season. Washington’s defense is also a problem area overall, with the Wizards allowing more than 1.13 points per possession and allowing the third-worst opponent free throw rate in the league. Charlotte can also take advantage of Washington’s struggles with perimeter shooting, as the Wizards are making fewer than 35 percent of their 3-point attempts in 2020-21.
Why the Wizards can cover
Washington is above-average in several offensive categories. The Wizards take care of the ball at a high level, committing a turnover on only 13.8 percent of possessions. Scott Brooks’ team also leads the entire NBA in free throw creation rate, putting pressure on the rim consistently. Washington lands above the league average in assists per game and assist rate, with the Hornets ranking in the bottom five in shooting efficiency allowed on defense. In fact, Charlotte is last in the NBA in 2-point shooting allowed (55.8 percent), and the Wizards can take advantage.
Defensively, Washington isn’t elite by any stretch, but the Wizards do a good job in limiting transition scoring. The Wizards allow only 11 fast break points per game, a top-10 figure in the NBA. Washington is also effective at creating turnovers, forcing a giveaway on more than 14 percent of defensive trips, and Charlotte is third-worst in the NBA in committing a turnover on 15.6 percent of offensive possessions.
How to make Hornets vs. Wizards picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 239 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time. You can get that pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Hornets vs. Wizards? And which side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that on a roll on NBA picks.