Hornets vs Spurs Odds, Picks, and Predictions Tonight: Hornets Have No Sting in San Antonio

The top two picks in the 2023 NBA Draft square off tonight as Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs host Brandon Miller and the Charlotte Hornets.

Though Wemby’s rookie year has been big on highlights but short on wins, the Spurs notched their sixth victory of the season on Wednesday with a 130-108 victory over the woeful Detroit Pistons.

At 8-27, the Hornets are right there with the Spurs in the NBA basement. Charlotte has lost three in a row and nine of its past 10 games but should be boosted by LaMelo Ball’s return tonight.

The NBA odds slightly favor the Spurs. Read on to see if our free NBA picks for Hornets vs Spurs on Friday, January 12 agree. 

Hornets vs Spurs odds

Hornets vs Spurs predictions

Both these teams have piled up losses so far this season, but at least the arrow feels like it’s pointing up for the San Antonio Spurs as they look to a Victor Wembanyama-led future.

With their injury list clearing, San Antonio has begun 2024 with real purpose, including the emphatic win over the Pistons and narrow losses to the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The hosts are starting to look competitive again, and I’m picking Gregg Popovich’s men to deliver tonight against a Charlotte Hornets team that’s lost nine of their last 10 games. 

Some of the Hornets’ struggles stem from an offense that’s been stuck in mud lately, falling short of the 100-point mark three times already since the calendar flipped to January. LaMelo Ball’s return will help but don’t overlook the visitors’ other absentees, including Gordon Hayward, P.J. Washington, and Mark Williams. 

In contrast, the Spurs are largely healthy and look more balanced with Tre Jones next to the Wemby-Devin Vassell-Jeremy Sochan trio. The San Antonio starters have been major plus-minus winners in the last two outings, and Wembanyama is coming off a triple-double in just 21 minutes in Detroit.

These teams have real flaws, as their records suggest, but it feels easier to trust the hosts, who should have the upper hand at both ends of the floor.

My best bet: Spurs -2.5 (-105 at bet365)

Hornets vs Spurs same-game parlay

Spurs -2.5

Terry Rozier Over 24.5 points

Spurs team total Over 115.5

+375 at bet365

The Hornets have been up and down offensively all year – and they’ve been mostly down in their past five games. But Terry Rozier has found a nice rhythm and he’s averaging 30 points a game over that span.

While Ball is going to soak up touches, I expect Charlotte to tread carefully with his minutes in his first game back. That should mean Rozier still has a green light to jack up shots. He scored 39 points in Monday’s overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls, and I like the Over on his points prop tonight.

I’m also predicting a strong offensive night for the Spurs. The Hornets gave up 123 points against the Kings in midweek, and if Nick Richards gets into foul trouble against Wemby, the visitors’ frontcourt depth is thin.

San Antonio has gone past the 115.5 line in six of its last nine games and had eight players with double-digit points against the Pistons.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Hornets vs Spurs spread and Over/Under analysis

The Hornets have won the past five meetings between these teams, including a 129-102 victory in San Antonio last season, but it’s logical to find the visitors as slight underdogs here.

The Spurs looked sharp offensively in Detroit, and they’ve scored 115 points or more in their last three games. While Charlotte is just 4-14 on the road, San Antonio’s 2-15 home mark is even more alarming, but the Spurs have covered the spread in their last four contests. 

This also feels like a great matchup for Vassell, who’s the type of crafty scorer that’s given the Hornets fits over the past few weeks. De’Aaron Fox, Coby White, and Jamal Murray have all had big games against a Charlotte team short on perimeter stoppers. Ball’s return isn’t likely to make a difference there.

The trends tell a complicated story when it comes to the Over/Under. San Antonio has cashed in the Over in 27 of its last 36 games at Frost Bank Center, but the Under has hit in 41 of the Hornets’ last 66 games.

Though Rozier, Ball, and Miles Bridges are all capable of big nights, the Under feels like the safer play, especially after Charlotte failed to crack triple figures in midweek against a Sacramento defense that gives up 117 points a night. 

Hornets vs Spurs betting trend to know

Don’t expect the Hornets to fly out of the blocks. They’ve only hit the first-half moneyline in 16 of their last 73 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Hornets vs. Spurs.

Hornets vs Spurs game info

Hornets vs Spurs latest injuries

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