The Hornets are hosting the Mavericks on Tuesday. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Charlotte is favored by 13.5 points and this game carries a total of 230.5 points.
Let’s dive into my preview and pick for the game.
Hornets vs. Mavericks Preview
The Hornets continue to impress. Charlotte has won four straight and all of these victories have been by at least 16 points. In the new year, the Hornets are 19-9 and they rank second in the NBA in net rating, trailing only the Celtics. Charlotte still sits as the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference, as the team fights back after a bad start to the season, but the Hornets are quickly moving up the standings and should continue to do so.
Head coach Charles Lee has this group playing excellent on both ends of the floor, ranking top-six in both offensive and defensive rating in the new year. The Hornets have also been awesome on the glass, leading the NBA in rebound percentage during this span. The team’s entire starting five is playing well and when Charlotte faced the Mavericks in Dallas on Jan. 29th, the Hornets walked away with a 123-121 win.
While the Mavericks put up a strong fight that night, they had Cooper Flagg available and he went off for a career-high 49 points. This time around, Flagg (foot) is doubtful to play. Naji Marshall (finger), who always steps up when Flagg is out, is also sidelined and newcomer Marvin Bagley III (neck), who has put up strong numbers off the bench since being traded to Dallas at the deadline, will be out as well. P.J. Washington (ankle) is questionable, but even if he suits up, the Mavericks are going to be very shorthanded.
With Flagg, Marshall and Bagley out Sunday vs. the Thunder, Dallas lost 100-87, which is the team’s lowest scoring output of the season. Caleb Martin was the Mavericks’ leading scorer with 18 points, and Max Christie and Brandon Williams both added 14 points, but outside of these three, no Dallas player reached double figures.. Yes, Oklahoma City is the No. 1 rated defense in the NBA, but the Hornets are no slouch on that side of the ball either, so this skeleton staff Mavericks team should struggle mightily to score the ball once again tonight. With Flagg inactive for the last seven, Dallas is 2-5 and ranks 22nd in offensive rating.
Hornets vs. Mavericks Pick, Best Bet
These two teams are trending in complete opposite directions and this game could get out of hand quickly, with the Hornets running away with an easy win.
As noted above, Charlotte has won four in a row and each of these victories has been by at least 16 points. The Hornets are a league-best 38-23 ATS this season and they are a strong bet to cover this 12.5-point spread.
