They may be one of the “floor four” in the league, but the Charlotte Hornets have looked a lot better since the trade deadline.
They’re aiming for a third straight win Wednesday when they host the Atlanta Hawks — a team they’ve beaten three straight times and four of the last five. Oddsmakers are wary, however, even if the 10th-place Hawks aren’t exactly a powerhouse.
Charlotte is a 7.5-point home dog in the NBA odds, hosting an Atlanta team that’s coming off a loss to the Bulls, but is looking for its seventh win in 10 games.
Which way should you be leaning? Read on for my Hawks vs. Hornets free NBA picks, complete with my best bet for Wednesday, February 14.
Hawks vs Hornets odds
Hawks vs Hornets predictions
There was a rare sighting Monday night when the Hawks saw their two-game win streak snap in a 136-126 beating at the hands of the Chicago Bulls.
Hawks All-Star Trae Young finished the game with just 19 points on 3-for-14 shooting, including a dismal 2-for-10 mark from downtown.
That marks only the second time this season Young — who ranks 10th in the league in scoring at 27 points per contest — has gone sub-20 points in back-to-back games.
Perhaps it’s a bookie overreaction, but his Wednesday line against the Hornets is set at a very reachable 23.5 points. Advantage us.
Trae has only seen the Hornets once this year, and that was on opening night, where he finished just shy of that number with 23 points, on a dismal 4-for-19 clunker.
Prior to that, however, Young had eclipsed that figure in four straight and six of the last seven games against the Hornets, averaging 24.7 points per game.
It’s also worth noting his bounce-back ability following those under-20-point outings.
This season, after scoring 18 against Orlando and 15 against Cleveland, he erupted for 30 against the Dallas Mavericks.
This happened three times last year as well, and when facing a third straight outing scoring less than 20 points, Young averaged 28.3 points in that third game.
Look for Young to get back to the business of bucket getting at the Spectrum Center on Wednesday.
My best bet: Trae Young Over 23.5 points (-120 at DraftKings)
Hawks vs Hornets same-game parlay
Let’s stick with Young as we build out a three-legged SGP. He’s one of two players in the NBA doling out better than 10 assists per game, trailing only Tyrese Haliburton for the league lead in dimes.
Last game against the Bulls, he offset his poor shooting outing by dishing out 14 assists, the 11th time in the last 14 games Young has gone for double-digit helpers, clearing the 10.5 line set Wednesday on nine occasions.
Over the last six games against the Hornets, Young has topped this total three times, and finished with exactly nine assists in the other three.
Charlotte surrenders the third-most assists per game at 28.8 per contest, so look for Young to be around this number again.
I’m going to put a bow on this one with forward Miles Bridges, given a 25.5 scoring line against ATL.
The last two games have shown the Hornets are a more rounded bunch. After shipping out Gordon Hayward and PJ Washington and bringing in Grant Williams, Seth Curry, and Tre Mann, Charlotte has spread the love around.
Against Indiana last game, seven players and all five starters scored in double digits in a 111-102 win. Bridges had 20.
That was after beating Memphis 115-106, with five players scoring 13 or more points, and Bridges checking in with 25.
In 13 career games against Atlanta, he’s cracked 26 or more points just twice. A balanced Charlotte attack limits his scoring again.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Hawks vs Hornets spread and Over/Under analysis
The spread has hardly moved slightly since starting at six points, with most books now sitting at 7.5.
These are the two worst cover teams in the NBA, with Atlanta scraping the bottom at 17-37-0 against the spread, and Charlotte right behind at 20-33-0 ATS.
The Hawks are the worst scoring defense in the league, so no surprise the scoring total has touched 241.5 points, and hasn’t dipped below 238.5.
Atlanta is a Top-4 Over bet in basketball, sporting a 31-23-0 Over record. Charlotte has seen the Over cash in 28 of 53 starts on the year.
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Hawks vs Hornets betting trend to know
Charlotte has not only covered the spread, but won outright as the betting underdog in three straight games against Atlanta. Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. Hornets.
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Hawks vs Hornets game info
Location: | Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC |
Date: | Wednesday, February 14, 2024 |
Tip-off: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
TV: | Bally Atlanta, Bally Charlotte |
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