Charlotte Hornets vs. Toronto Raptors Prediction, NBA Odds
The NBA odds will be determined by how many key players might sit on both sides with both chasing lottery ping-pong balls.
Hornets vs. Raptors NBA Betting Odds
Like Toronto and a handful of other teams that will miss the playoffs, Charlotte is trying to lose as much as possible in the final few weeks to get as many ping-pong balls as possible for the May draft lottery. Every franchise in the league would want Duke freshman superstar Cooper Flagg atop the 2025 draft, but the big man would fit so perfectly in the Carolinas on a Hornets team that already has an All-Star-calibre young guard on the roster in former NBA Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball.
Charlotte could be an Eastern Conference play-in team as soon as next season if it gets Flagg as he, Ball and 2023 No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller would be a terrific foundation to build upon. Miller was having a breakout second season but hurt his wrist in mid-January and is done for the season. Expect the injury-plagued Ball to be shut down very soon.
This marks the fourth-to last home game of the season for Toronto and its first at Scotiabank Arena against the Hornets, who will return there April 9. The lone meeting this season was way back on Oct. 30 in Charlotte and the Hornets won 138-133. Ball had 19 points and six assists, but Charlotte won in large part due to a whopping 72 points off its bench. Gradey Dick had 30 points to lead the Raptors, who were without Immanuel Quickley.
Despite that loss, Toronto is 7-3 SU and 6-4 ATS in the past 10 meetings, with the over-under at 6-4.
Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte actually played every healthy starter on Tuesday in a rarity at this point of the season but lost a third straight game, 111-104 at home vs. Orlando. LaMelo Ball was excellent with 25 points and nine assists before fouling out. Ball is one of 10 players league-wide averaging at least 25.0 points and 5.0 assists on the season. He also ranks second in the NBA in fourth quarter points (7.6). No. 2 option Miles Bridges really struggled at 5-for-19 from the field. Forward Josh Okogie played for the first time since Jan. 31 off a hamstring strain and had three points in 16 minutes off the bench.
The Hornets were recently officially eliminated from playoff contention, missing out on extra basketball for a ninth straight season, longest streak in the NBA. While Charlotte doesn’t have a Canadian player on the roster, assistant coach Jermaine Bucknor is from Edmonton. The Hornets are 1-5 ATS in their past six.
Toronto Raptors
Toronto won its second game in a row (both away) on Wednesday, 116-86 in Brooklyn. It was the Raptors’ largest win of the season. This season obviously has not gone well, but perhaps the Dinos found a diamond in the rough in 7-footer Orlando Robinson. The 24-year-old, on his fourth NBA team, led all Raptors scorers with 23 points in his fifth start with the team this season and added a career-high-tying 12 rebounds for his fourth double-double – fourth-most on the team. Robinson helped Toronto out-rebound Brooklyn by 20.
Rookie Jonathan Mogbo (second-round pick out of San Francisco) had 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists in just 25 minutes off the bench. Another rookie, Jamison Battle (undrafted), had a career-high 10 rebounds. And yet another rookie, Jamal Shead (second-round pick out of Houston), added eight assists and is up to 260 on the year, passing teammate Scottie Barnes for third-most assists in a season by a Raptors rookie behind Damon Stoudamire (653) and José Calderón (288).
Earlier Wednesday, the team signed Cole Swider to a 10-day contract, and he had seven points and three rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench in his team debut (on his fourth club). Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl both got the night off for rest, which should mean they play here but that perhaps two other starters sit out. That generally is how things have been handled lately. Toronto is 7-2 ATS in its past nine.
CHA
TOR