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Phoenix Suns vs. Charlotte Hornets prediction, pick on Sunday 3/8/26

Phoenix Suns vs. Charlotte Hornets prediction, pick on Sunday 3/8/26

Charlotte Hornets Sports Betting Picks NBA DraftKings Sportsbook Insights Featured

Updated:

By: Alex Hunter

The Suns are hosting the Hornets on Sunday. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Charlotte is favored by 4.5 points, and this game carries a total of O/U 217.5 points.

Let’s dive into my preview and pick for the game.

Phoenix Suns vs. Charlotte Hornets Preview

The Suns have exceeded expectations this season, but things have been rocky for the team following the All-Star break with a 4-4 record and ranking 21st in net rating. Devin Booker (hip) and Jalen Green (hamstring) are both healthy again, but Dillon Brooks (hand) remains out, as this trio has only played five games together this season.

Phoenix is only 6-7 with Brooks inactive, and while the club has won two of its last three, these victories came against the Kings and the Pelicans, two of the Western Conference’s bottom-three teams. Jammed in between these wins is a discouraging two-point home loss to the Bulls, who have won just twice since the start of February.

While Booker and Green can put up big numbers scoring-wise, the Suns lack toughness on both ends of the floor with Brooks missing. Phoenix has been great at home this season with a 21-13 record, but this will be a tough test for the team with the Hornets in town.

Charlotte is coming off a loss to the Heat, but the club had won six in a row by at least 16 points before this. In the new year, the Hornets are 21-10, and they lead the NBA in net rating. Additionally, Charlotte ranks top-six in both offensive and defensive rating, and the team leads the league in rebound rate over this time. Impressively, the Hornets have won eight straight on the road, including blowout wins over both the Rockets and Celtics.

LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel have become a great scoring trio, and Miles Bridges, Moussa Diabate and Coby White have all played well in secondary roles. Charlotte is all of a sudden one of the NBA’s most balanced teams, and given the club’s elite success on the road recently, the Hornets should be a confident group tonight, despite coming off a loss.

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Suns vs. Hornets Pick, Best Bet

After losing to the Heat on Friday, the Hornets should get a bounce-back win in Phoenix tonight and cover this 4.5-point spread.

Charlotte is a league-best 40-24 ATS this season, and the club is 13-2 ATS in its last 15. The Hornets didn’t cover in their loss to the Heat on Friday, but they haven’t failed to cover in back-to-back games since early December.

Best Bet: Hornets -4.5 (-112)

Alex Hunter
Alex Hunter is an avid DFS player and sports handicapper, who has been a proud member of the DraftKings Network team since 2020. He is a data-driven analyst, who earned his bachelor’s degree in communications at Worcester State University and has been in the sports content business for nearly a decade, covering the NBA, NFL and PGA TOUR. Alex is a diehard Boston Celtics fan, who loves to be on the golf course when he isn’t grinding lineups or producing content. For all of Alex’s work or if you need any lineup advice, be sure to follow him @Hunta512 on X.
Disclaimer

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Hunta512) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.