The Charlotte Hornets are riding the playoff buzz down the final week of the schedule, hosting the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
Charlotte sits in eighth in the East, destined to mix it up in the play-in tournament but aiming to avoid slipping into the ninth or 10th spot before the end of the season. The NBA betting odds have the Hornets installed as small home faves facing a New Orleans team missing its top superstars, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, down the stretch run.
Here are our free NBA picks and predictions for Pelicans vs. Hornets on May 9.
Pelicans vs Hornets odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
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NBA Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonCharlotte opened -4.5 and has bounced between that spread and -3.5 all day heading into tipoff. According to FanDuel sportsbooks, 62 percent of bets and 67 percent of money in on the Hornets. As for the total, the Over/Under opened 220 and has climbed to 223 points, with 73 percent of bets on the Over fueling that move.
Check out the full line movement for this gamePelicans at Hornets betting preview
Injuries
Pelicans: Zion Williamson F (Out), Steven Adams C (Out), Brandon Ingram F (Out).
Hornets: Miles Bridges F (Out), Devonte' Graham G (Questionable), Gordon Hayward F (Out), Cody Martin G (Out).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Under is 13-4 in Hornets’ last 17 home games and 23-9 in their last 32 games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Pelicans vs. Hornets.
Against the spread (ATS) pick
The Pelicans plod into Charlotte with almost 51 points of their average offensive output (44%) in street clothes, with Williamson out due to a broken finger and Ingram nursing a sprained ankle. New Orleans managed 107 points without both of those stars in the lineup last time out, shooting just 41 percent from the floor in a loss to the 76ers’ stingy defense.
The Hornets aren’t as stout on the defensive end as Philadelphia but don't have to worry about the Pelicans’ presence in the paint or on the boards, with Williamson and Ingram accounting for more than 12 rebounds an outing for a team ranked No. 1 in rebound rate and third in second-chance buckets. New Orleans will also be without big man Steven Adams (8.9 rpg), who is out with a sprained toe.
Charlotte has its own injury issues entering Sunday’s contest, with Devonte' Graham listed as questionable and Miles Bridges out due to COVID-19 protocols. However, the Hornets can exploit the Pelicans’ soft spot inside, coming off a season-high 68 points in the paint in Friday’s win over Orlando.
PREDICTION: Charlotte -4.5 (-110)
Over/Under pick
The Pelicans aren’t a good enough shooting team to overcome those interior losses and very much depend on getting inside on offense, topping the league with an average of 36.3 field goal attempts inside five feet of the basket. New Orleans is one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA and makes a mere 34.7 percent of looks from beyond the arc on the road.
Charlotte lets its offense do some of the heavy lifting on the defensive side, playing a slow pace with the basketball (ranked fourth slowest since April at 96.67) and eating up plenty of shot clock, as to limit its opponent’s touches.
The Hornets are also down key contributors in Bridges and possibly Graham, who account for almost 27 points per contest. That pair is also among the team’s top 3-point threats and Charlotte has been spotty from the perimeter in recent games, hitting 16 of 35 from distance in the loss to Chicago on Thursday but following that with a 9-for-33 effort in the win over Orlando.
PREDICTION: Under 221.5 (-110)
Player prop pick
Hornets forward P.J. Washington has started May with a bang and will continue that momentum with New Orleans thin in the frontcourt Sunday.
Washington has posted point totals of 23, 24, and 21 points in his last three outings while also being active on the boards, bringing down a collective 21 rebounds over those games. He’s extremely efficient from the field, shooting 26 for 41 in that three-game stretch while playing 30 minutes or more in each contest.
PREDICTION: P.J. Washington points + rebounds Over 24.5 (-111)
Pelicans vs Hornets betting card
- Charlotte -4.5 (-110)
- Under 221.5 (-110)
- P.J. Washington points + rebounds Over 24.5 (-111)
Picks made on 5/09/2021 at 9:45 a.m. ET
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