Hornets vs. Cavaliers NBA Odds, Preview, and Pick (Archive)
The Charlotte Hornets (30-32) will be trying to snap their two-game losing streak when they face the Cleveland Cavaliers (36-25) on Wednesday’s game. The Hornets are coming off a 130-106 loss to Milwaukee as 10.5-point underdogs. The Cavaliers are coming off a 127-122 loss to Minnesota as 3.5-point underdogs. Charlotte and Cleveland split their last 10 meetings.
These Eastern Conference rivals have met three times this season, and Cleveland is up 2-1 on the year. The Hornets are looking to stay in the playoff race with a win. This game will tip-off at 7:10 PM EST on Wednesday, March 2nd. Let’s see what the NBA odds for this matchup tell us!
Charlotte Hornets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
Wednesday, March 2, 2022 – 7:00 PM EST at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
Betting Preview
The Hornets played well earlier in the season and looked like a team heading to the playoffs. However, they have struggled in recent weeks, losing 11 of their last 13 games and they've fallen to ninth in the Eastern Conference standings.
They will try to turn things around with a win over the Cavaliers, which will move them one game behind Brooklyn in the standings. Charlotte is averaging 114.1 points per game. They scored 106 points in their last game, making 38.7 percent of their field goals and 35.9 percent of their three-pointers.
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LaMelo Ball led the way for the Hornets with 24 points and four rebounds. Terry Rozier finished with 17 points, four rebounds, and eight assists, while Kelly Oubre Jr. added 17 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.
The Cavaliers followed up their win over Washington with a loss to the Timberwolves in their last game. They will try to bounce back from the loss with a win over the Hornets, which will give them their ninth home win in their last 10 games.
Kevin Love led the way for Cleveland with 26 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Jarrett Allen finished with 21 points and eight rebounds, while Cedi Osman added 21 points and five assists.
Betting Analysis
The Hornets have lost five of their last six games and they continue to struggle defensively, giving up more than 117 points per game on the road, and will have a hard time slowing down the Cavs. Charlotte has done a better job offensively, even on the road where they are scoring more than 115 points per game.
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Charlotte has struggled defensively, giving up 114.8 points per game. They gave up 130 points in their last game and won’t win too many games if they don’t play better defensively. Cleveland is averaging 106.6 points per game.
They scored 122 points in their last game, making 52.7 percent of their field goals and 40.5 percent of their three-pointers. Cleveland is one of the best defensive teams in the league, giving up 102.7 points per game. They gave up 127 points in their last game and will need to do a better job if they want to get the win.
Expert Pick
The Cavaliers struggled over the past week, but they play well at home where they have won eight of their last nine games. They play well offensively at home where they are making 46 percent of their shots.
They’ve been dominant in the paint and they are very aggressive on the offensive glass, which will lead to more scoring opportunities. Unfortunately for the Hornets, the Cavaliers are the fourth-best team in the league when it comes to defensive efficiency and held seven of their last eight home opponents under 100 points.
Expect the Hornets to struggle offensively in this game. For your NBA picks, go with the Cavaliers to cover the spread.
NBA Pick: Cavaliers -3.5 (-110) with Bovada (visit our Bovada Review)
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