Fresh off a narrow victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, the Denver Nuggets will look for a second win in as many days when they travel to Spectrum Center to face the shorthanded Charlotte Hornets.
My Nuggets vs. Hornets predictions expect Nikola Jokic to deliver a monster performance on the road.
Read my NBA picks to see why you should take the Over on Joker’s combo prop.
Nuggets vs Hornets prediction
My best bet
Nikola Jokic Over 48.5 points+rebounds+assists (-120 at bet365)
My analysis
There’s no need to dive into extensive detail about the greatness of Nikola Jokic. He’s a three-time MVP who’s vying for his fourth, thanks to a historic season filled with plenty of stat stuffing.
His combo line is set at a measly 48.5, and I’m all in on the value.
The reigning MVP is averaging 29.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.1 assists per game this season, good for 52.7 PRAs. Jokic bounced back after a Wednesday night stinker in New York with a huge 28/9/13 line and a go-ahead three-pointer to seal the victory for the Denver Nuggets.
Jokic has hit the Over on this line four times in his last six tries.
His recent success certainly isn’t an outlier, as Jokic has hit the Over on this line in 26 of 41 games overall and 12 of 22 on the road.
He’s hit the Over in four of his last six matchups with the Charlotte Hornets dating back to the 2021-22 campaign.
Charlotte’s defense offers a phenomenal matchup for Jokic. On the season, the team has allowed opposing centers to average 23.2 points, 16.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.4 triples.
The points are the ninth-highest, rebounds are the fourth-highest, and three-pointers are the sixth-highest.
Jokic is knocking down a career-best 2.0 three-pointers at a 47.2% clip - also a personal best.
If we look back at Charlotte’s last seven games, they’ve hemorrhaged points and rebounds to opposing centers, surrendering 36.1 points, 19.9 boards, and 3.5 assists.
The points are nearly seven more than the next-highest team, and the rebounds are over one more than the next-highest team.
Jokic has hit the Over in 12 of his last 20, and I see no reason to bet against him doing so tonight in this tremendous matchup.
Nuggets vs Hornets same-game parlay
Nikola Jokic Over 48.5 points+rebounds+assists
Over 222.5
Charlotte Hornets +14
The Nuggets have hit the Over at the third-highest rate in the Association, while Charlotte has done it at the lowest rate. I’m happy to split the difference here and bet the Over on this modest total.
The Nuggets have hit the Over in five of six, while the Hornets have done it in just two of six. Denver is 22-13 to the over as the favorite this season, while Charlotte is 14-26 to the Over as the underdog.
Denver’s defense has been nearly non-existent, and the team continues to surrender points at a ridiculous rate. That’s great news for Charlotte’s offense, which could keep this one close.
The Nuggets are 5-1 to the Over in six games as double-digit favorites.
Charlotte is not a good team, but spotting them 14 points at home? Of course, I’ll take advantage of that mispriced line.
The Hornets were blown out by the Nets 104-83 on Wednesday, snapping a 19-game streak of keeping games within 14 points. The Hornets are 7-6 ATS as double-digit dogs this season, and the team is a respectable 13-9-1 as home underdogs.
Denver is just 16-18-1 as the favorite, while Charlotte is 23-15-2. Despite the talent disparity, I’m rolling with Charlotte to keep it within striking distance at home and cover this gigantic spread.
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Nuggets vs Hornets odds
Nuggets vs Hornets live odds
Nuggets vs Hornets opening odds
- Spread: Denver -14 (-110) | Charlotte +14 (-110)
- Moneyline: Denver (-1000) | Charlotte (+650)
- Over/Under: Over 222.5 (-110) | Under 225.5 (-110)
Odds courtesy of bet365
Nuggets vs Hornets spread and Over/Under analysis
- Denver has failed to cover in four straight, and the team is just 23-24-1 ATS this season
- Charlotte is 2-3-1 ATS across its last six, but the Hornets are 23-20-2 through 45 games.
- The Nuggets have hit the Over in five of six and in 30 of 48 games overall.
- The Hornets have hit the Over just twice across their last six, and the team is 17-27-1 to the Under this season.
Nuggets vs Hornets trend
Only eight of Charlotte’s 33 losses have been decided by 14 points or more. Find more NBA betting trends for Nuggets vs. Hornets.
How to watch Nuggets vs Hornets
| Location | Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC |
| Date | Saturday, 2-1-2025 |
| Tip-off | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ALT, FDSN |
Nuggets vs Hornets latest injuries
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