Two 1-0 teams, the Charlotte Hornets and the Philadelphia 76ers, will face off tonight in their second game of the 2025-26 season. In their first game of the season, the Hornets beat the Brooklyn Nets 136-117, while the 76ers escaped Boston with a one-point victory over the Celtics. This has been a one-sided matchup in the past, as Philadelphia has won the last 10 games between the two teams, with the Hornets’ last win coming in 2022 against the Sixers.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, the Sixers are -4.5 while being -198 on the moneyline. Charlotte is a +164 underdog in this matchup. Below, I preview the game and give my prediction for the Hornets vs. the 76ers.
Hornets vs. 76ers preview, prediction
Throughout the first few days of the NBA season, a major talking point has been how well the Sixers’ new-and-improved backcourt has played. Tyrese Maxey led the way for the Sixers with 40 points and seven three-pointers, but VJ Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick in this year’s NBA Draft, had a tremendous debut. Edgecombe dropped 34 points to go along with seven boards and five threes. Edgecombe’s 34 points are the most ever by a rookie in their debut in franchise history. Also, Edgecombe had the third-most points in an NBA debut behind, behind Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 43 in 1959, and Frank Selby, who scored 35 in 1954.
Former NBA MVP Joel Embiid went 1-9 from the field with four points in the Sixers’ first game and is still working his way back to 100 percent. But the Sixers showed against the Celtics that they still can be competitive and a good basketball team with their youth movement.
The Hornets are another team with an excellent young core, led by LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel. In their opening game, Charlotte had 11 players see action, with 10 scoring in double digits. Ball and Miller combined for 45 points and are the Hornets’ best players.
Even though both teams have great young players, the Sixers are still the older and more experienced team. Embiid totaled only four points and six rebounds on Wednesday and will most likely continue to improve each game this season.
Hornets vs. 76ers, best bet
This is the Sixers’ home opener, and with two days’ rest in between games, they should be able to find success against the Hornets. Last season, Charlotte was tied for the worst road record in the NBA at 7-34. The Hornets have also lost nine of their previous 10 games in Philly. If the Sixers can contain Ball and Miller on offense, they will be in a good position to pick up the victory and cover the spread.
