Los Angeles Lakers vs. Charlotte Hornets Prediction, NBA Odds
L.A. opened as a 6-point favourites on the NBA odds with a total of 220.5.
Lakers vs. Hornets NBA Betting Odds
I always recommend waiting until the last minute if possible to bet any NBA game because no major North American sport sees top players sit out more often. I highly recommend waiting as long as possible Monday because it’s the front end of a back-to-back for the Lakers. They have a much bigger nationally televised game on Tuesday in Philadelphia.
Thus, I certainly think it’s possible that LeBron James or Anthony Davis gets the first leg off – although LeBron is so marketing savvy about his brand that he generally doesn’t like missing his only trip of the season to a city, and this is the Lakers’ lone trip to Charlotte. James used to get fired up playing there simply because Michael Jordan was the team owner, but he sold the club in August 2023.
This was supposed to conclude the season series, but their game scheduled in Los Angeles on Jan. 9 was postponed by the California wildfires. Now the Hornets will visit L.A. on Feb. 19. The Lakers won both high-scoring matchups a season ago. Davis averaged 26.0 points and 11.5 rebounds in the two and LeBron 21.5 points and 9.0 assists. Hornets star LaMelo Ball, from the L.A. area, didn’t play in either.
Los Angeles is 8-2 SU & ATS in the past 10 meetings, and the over-under is 7-3.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are playing some of their best ball of the season as they won a third straight game and fifth in their past six on Saturday, 118-108 at Golden State. Maybe that the team has some momentum will factor into whether LeBron James or Anthony Davis sits out tonight in the first leg of that B2B. Both are constantly on the injury report. Davis dominated against the Warriors with 36 points and 13 rebounds, while James had 25 points and 12 assists. Los Angeles reached a season-best seven games over .500. Forward Rui Hachimura (12.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG), who usually starts, was out with a calf injury and is day-to-day. Dorian Finney-Smith, acquired from Brooklyn in a trade earlier this season, took his spot with the first five. LeBron enters this one steal from passing Maurice Cheeks (2,310) into sixth place all-time in NBA history and four made 3-pointers from 2,500 career to become the seventh player ever to hit that milestone. The Lakers are 12-6 ATS in their past 18 games.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets recently got terrible news when it was announced that rising star Brandon Miller (21.0 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.6 APG), the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, would miss the rest of the season following surgery to repair a torn ligament in his wrist. They have been hit hard by injuries all season and had their four-best players in Miller, LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges and Mark Williams active at the same time in just six games. Charlotte snapped a two-game skid Saturday with a 123-92 win over New Orleans behind 25 points from Ball and 22 from Bridges. Williams sat out for injury management but should play Monday. He has been terrific this month in averaging 19.8 PPG and 11.9 RPG. Ball is one of only seven players league-wide averaging at least 25.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists (minimum 15 games played). Ball also leads the league in fourth-quarter points per game. Fabulous player but has trouble staying healthy himself. The under is 7-0 in Charlotte’s past seven at home.
LAL
CHA