A four-game losing skid has the Brooklyn Nets drifting further down the Eastern standings, entering Tuesday’s road game versus the Charlotte Hornets in ninth place in the conference.
That’s one spot behind the Hornets, who are coming off consecutive wins for the first time since January 28. The NBA betting odds have Brooklyn pegged as a 4.5-point road favorite, with this game being just the fifth time its had both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving sharing the floor this season.
Check out our free NBA picks and predictions for Nets at Hornets on March 8.
Nets vs Hornets odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
Charlotte opened as a 3.5-point home underdog and that line jumped a full point to +4.5 before sliding back as low as -3 at most markets. The total for this game hit the board at 240.5 went up to 241.5 points before slimming to 239.5.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until tip-off and be sure to check out the full NBA odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
Nets vs Hornets predictions
- Prediction: Hornets +3.5 (-110)
- Prediction: Under 239.5 (-110)
- Best bet: Curry Over 2.5 made threes (+165)
Predictions made on 3/8/2022 at 10:45 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Nets vs Hornets game info
• Location: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
• Date: Tuesday, March 8, 2022
• Tip-off: 7:00 p.m. ET
• TV: Bally Sports SE-CHA, YES
Nets vs Hornets betting preview
Key injuries
Nets: Cam Thomas G (Questionable), LaMarcus Aldridge F (Out), Ben Simmons G (Out).
Hornets: Jalen McDaniels F (Questionable), James Bouknight G (Out), Gordon Hayward F (Out).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Under is 16-5 in Hornets’ last 21 games as underdogs. Find more NBA betting trends for Nets vs. Hornets.
Nets vs Hornets picks and predictions
Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.
Spread analysis
The Nets could have staked their claim in the East’s pecking order with a win at Boston on Sunday but came up short against a red-hot Celtics squad and a 54-point effort from Jayson Tatum.
The combo of Durant and Irving received mixed grades, as Durant poured in a “subtle” 37 points and Irving just couldn’t find his groove in the offense (19 points), now having to share touches with KD.
Irving took responsibility for Brooklyn’s disjointed efforts and will need to step up his game, especially with standout contributors LaMarcus Aldridge and Cam Thomas dealing with injuries. That pair scores a collective 23.2 points per game off the bench for Brooklyn.
That lack of cohesion has seen an uptick in turnovers for the Nets during this losing skid, coughing up the ball an average of 16 times which has translated into an average of 21 points off turnovers per game for Brooklyn’s foes. The Nets had 15 turnovers flipped into 18 points by Boston on Sunday.
The Hornets’ defense is a far cry from the Celtic's stoppers but has improved since the calendar flipped to 2022. Charlotte boasts a defensive rating of 110.0 since New Year’s Day – ninth-lowest in the league in that span – and its frenetic pace thrives on chaos, leading to plenty of mistakes from their opponents.
The Hornets force 15.2 turnovers per game (fourth-most) and cash those errors in for an average of 19.1 points off turnovers (second most). Charlotte has some rare momentum heading into this matchup with the Nets and while it’ll have its hands full with Durant, the collective offense can punch back, ranking second in scoring in the NBA.
Prediction: Hornets +3.5 (-110)
Over/Under analysis
The Hornets aren’t the toughest defense out there and have struggled against some offensive heavyweights in recent outings, hemorrhaging points to the likes of Milwaukee, Memphis, and Chicago. However, those foes all have something in common — their ability to push the pace on offense.
Brooklyn isn’t a team that takes over with tempo, instead playing a more methodical halfcourt set and leaning heavily on isolation from its superstars to generate scoring opportunities.
On the year, the Nets’ pace rating sits 11th overall (99.24), but in Durant’s two games back from injury that tempo has crawled to a rating of just 97.75.
Losing Aldridge is a hit for this Brooklyn offense, as the versatile big man is reliable from mid-range and stretches the interior with his perimeter play. Thomas left Sunday’s game with a back injury and is a shot of energy off the bench compared to the rest of the aging backcourt reserves.
Bookies are bracing for a high-scoring shootout, with this total hovering around 240 points, but with the Nets working out the kinks on offense and the Hornets holding their own on defense, we see this final finishing Under.
Prediction: Under 239.5 (-110)
Best bet
Seth Curry has seen his numbers shrink since Durant returned to the lineup, putting up a pair of 8-point efforts in the losses to Boston and Miami.
His field goal attempts have taken a hit, shooting a collective 6 for 16 in those games after averaging 12 field goal attempts over his first eight games with Brooklyn. His 3-point opportunities, however, haven’t dwindled.
Curry is 6 for 16 from distance over the past three games, facing tighter defensive checks from the likes of Boston, Miami, and Toronto. However, the Hornets aren’t as stingy as those foes, especially from beyond the arc. Charlotte allows an average of 13.8 3-pointers on 35.5% shooting on the year.
With Aldridge out and Thomas a question mark, Curry could see more minutes and have more opportunities in the spot-up game as the Hornets collapse on Durant and Irving. He’s made two 3-point buckets in four of his last five and averages 2.9 on the season. His 3-point prop for Tuesday is between 1.5 (Over -205) and Over 2.5 (+165).
We’ll get greedy and go for three triples from Curry in his hometown Tuesday night.
Pick: Seth Curry Over 2.5 made threes (+165)
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