The 13-38 Pelicans will host the 22-28 Hornets this afternoon at 3 PM EST, an early tip off because of a reschedule.
The Hornets are currently –258 favorites on the Moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the point total set to 230.5. Below, I’ll break down tonight’s matchup and offer my prediction.
Charlotte Hornets vs. New Orleans Pelicans preview, prediction
The Charlotte Hornets have been winning games lately. Despite their negative record, they’ve only dropped three losses in their last 12 games. This streak includes wins over the Spurs, the 76ers, the Nuggets, and the Lakers. I’m not convinced that they’ve turned their season around by any means, but they’re looking good at the moment. There’s been a lot of talk this season about ROTY candidate Kon Knueppel, who’s currently holding the second-best odds to win the award on DraftKings Sportsbook, and rightfully so. The 20 year old has looked like a ten year veteran, putting up 18.8 PPG on 48.6% shooting in his first season while absolutely lighting it up for 42.7% from beyond the arc. With Knueppel in the picture, this team has a pretty decent looking offense. LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller comprise an electric back court that’s simply must-watch TV. And Knueppel is not the only relevant rookie in the picture; Ryan Kalkbrenner is a Creighton product who’s been providing some nice rim-protection with 1.5 BPG off the bench. For now, Charlotte is rolling with Moussa Diabate, who complements a fast-paced offense well, but it’s nice that they also have this monster coming off the bench. The Hornets have the sixth highest offensive rating in the league, generating 117.1 points per 48 minutes.
On the other side, the New Orleans Pelicans also have a decent roster, but they’ve just been unable to turn their available talent into consistent wins in the Western Conference. They’re currently sitting near the bottom of the West and their outlook for this season is bleak despite having some decent talent on their roster. Former number one overall pick Zion Williamson headlines this team, but Trey Murphy has been an impressive prospect as well, putting up 21.5 PPG this season with 1.6 SPG. The Pelicans, unfortunately, have the fourth-worst defensive rating in the league and the sixth-worst offensive rating and overall net rating. It’s going to be tough for this team to do anything this season, and they’ll have to wait until next year to make a serious playoff push after they get Dejounte Murray back in the picture.
Hornets vs. Pelicans pick, best bet
Best bet: Charlotte Hornets Moneyline -258
The Pelicans have graded abysmally on both offense and defense all season long. The Hornets are on a big winning streak and are carrying a lot of momentum heading into this matchup tonight. The Hornets also have likely realized that they can make a push towards the Play-In spot, especially in the Eastern Conference. Getting this price on the Hornets’ Moneyline tonight feels a bit too good to pass up.
