Tonight, the Cavaliers (24-20, 7th in East) travel south to take on the Hornets (16-27, 12th in East) at the Spectrum Center. Cleveland, despite its middling record, has enough talent to make a postseason run. Still, that means stacking up as many wins as possible down the stretch. That won’t be easy against a Charlotte squad that’s shown promise over the past few weeks.
Which players will step up during Wednesday’s Eastern Conference showdown? The Cavaliers are favored by 3.5 points (-102) over the Hornets, with the over/under set at 236.5 points. Here are two of the top prop bet picks on DraftKings Sportsbook for tonight’s Cleveland vs. Charlotte matchup.
Cavaliers vs. Hornets prop bet picks
Evan Mobley under 8.5 rebounds (-140)
In spite of all he brings to the table, Evan Mobley has been frustrating this season for bettors. The power forward tends to alternate between impressive and lackluster performances. That’s especially true on offense, where the All-Star hasn’t taken ‘the leap’ like many fans hoped. Through 38 games, Mobley is averaging 17.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 52% from the field. The big man has failed to reach the 20-point threshold in each of his previous four outings.
It’s not scoring that looks like the biggest issue for Mobley tonight. The fifth-year pro faces a major challenge against a tall Hornets frontcourt. The center duo of Ryan Kalkbrenner and Moussa Diabate have both held their own down low. Charlotte has given up an NBA-best 48.2 rebounds per game to opponents. In comparison, Mobley has failed to reach nine or more rebounds in 19 of his 38 appearances this season. That’s held true in six of his last eight outings, as well. All signs are suggesting a tough day on the glass for Cleveland’s defensive anchor.
Kon Knueppel 19+ points (-108)
Charlotte’s sub-.500 record feels like reason for disappointment. However, the vibes are high in North Carolina. That’s due to an impressive collection of young talent, led by Kon Knueppel. The Duke alum has emerged as a Rookie of the Year frontrunner. This season, he’s delivered 19.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Even more impressive, the 20-year-old has done so on efficient 49/44/89 shooting splits. This promising Hornets roster now owns the NBA’s eighth-highest offensive rating (117.8).
Almost all of the Cavaliers’ best defenders play in their frontcourt. From the outside, this squad is far more vulnerable. Opponents are connecting on 38.6% of their three-point attempts vs. Cleveland, the highest percentage in basketball. That bodes well for Knueppel, who isn’t shy about letting it rip. The wing is tied for sixth in the NBA with 3.4 three-pointers made per game this season. Kon has notched at least 19 points in 24 of his 42 outings, including a December 22nd meeting with Cleveland. There’s a lot to like about Charlotte’s budding young star on Wednesday.
