Tipping off as part of tonight’s six-game NBA slate, the Charlotte Hornets will be facing off with the Boston Celtics.
These are two of the more intriguing Eastern Conference teams, with the Hornets quietly playing some of the best basketball in the league of late and the anticipation surrounding Jayson Tatum’s return continuing to build for the Celtics. This is the first meeting between these two teams this season. They will face off twice more before the year concludes.
Looking at the odds for tonight’s matchup, the Celtics enter as 6.5-point favorites and hold -245 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Hornets hold +200 odds of getting the outright victory with the game total set at 213.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for this Wednesday night matchup.
Hornets vs. Celtics preview, prediction
The Charlotte Hornets have climbed to ninth place in the Eastern Conference with a 31-31 record. They enter this matchup on a five-game winning streak and are 15-3 across their last 18 games. On the season, they are a league-best 39-23 against the spread, and the game total has remained under in 38 of their 62 games played.
Charlotte has yet to submit an injury report at the time of writing after defeating the Mavericks last night. Coby White missed last night’s matchup due to a left calf issue. Brandon Miller leads the team in scoring at 20.9 points, along with 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. LaMelo Ball has taken some significant steps in his style being more cohesive to winning, with the former All-Star averaging 19.2 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game. Fourth-overall pick Kon Knueppel is in the midst of a stellar rookie season, posting averages of 19.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists, while Miles Bridges, Moussa Diabate, Josh Green, Sion James, and Ryan Kalkbrenner also play key roles in the rotation.
As a team, the Hornets are scoring 116.1 points per game, which ranks 16th in the NBA. They also rank fourth in offensive rating, 23rd in field goal percentage, and third in three-point percentage while attempting the fourth-most perimeter shots in the league. Defensively, Charlotte is allowing 112.7 points per game, which ranks 10th in the NBA. The Hornets also rank 16th in defensive rating, 17th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 18th in opponents’ three-point percentage.
The Boston Celtics sit in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 41-20 record on the season. They enter this matchup on a three-game winning streak and have won seven of their last eight games. On the season, the Celtics have gone 36-25 against the spread, and the game total has remained under in 39 of their 61 games played.
Jayson Tatum remains sidelined as he recovers from his Achilles tear, but looks close to making his return. Without Tatum, Jaylen Brown has stepped up as the true 1A option for the Celtics. Brown is averaging 29.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.0 assists on the season. Payton Pritchard has made the most of his expanded role, adding 17.1 points and 5.4 assists, while Derrick White pitches in 17.1 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.4 rebounds of his own. Neemias Queta, Nikola Vucevic, and Jordan Walsh also play key roles in the rotation.
The Celtics are scoring 114.9 points per game, which ranks 18th in the league. They also rank second in offensive rating, 16th in field goal percentage, and ninth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 107.0 points per game against Boston, which is the best rate in the league. The Celtics also rank fifth in defensive rating, third in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 17th in opponents’ three-point percentage.
Hornets vs. Celtics prediction, best bet
Both these teams enter with some momentum on their side and look like teams capable of making some postseason noise. They do, however, arrive at different points in their organizational trajectory. Boston seemed primed for a gap year, just one season removed from winning the NBA championship with Tatum’s injury status in mind. But they have outperformed all realistic expectations without their star player, and he seems primed to return in the near future to further bolster their outlook. In contrast, the Hornets are beginning to reap the benefits of their young core, with their 31 wins already the most since the 2021-22 season for the franchise.
My lean is toward the Hornets keeping this close and covering the 6.5-point spread in the matchup. They have played some of the best basketball in the NBA of late, and this will carry over into this matchup. But I am backing the game total to go over the 213.5 mark in this matchup.
The biggest point of concern for Boston should be its three-point defense. They rank 24th in the league in three-point attempts allowed and 17th in opponents’ three-point percentage. The Hornets attack this area at a frequent rate, launching the fourth-most three-pointers in the league and connecting at the third-best rate. During their most recent victory over the Mavericks, the Hornets shot 20-51 (39%) from beyond the three-point arc and outscored Dallas 60-9 from this area on the floor.
But the Celtics are plenty comfortable getting three-pointers up at a high rate themselves, ranking second in three-point volume and connecting at the ninth-best rate. Facing a Hornets team that ranks 18th in opponents’ three-point percentage, expect them to have some success.
Count on both of these teams pushing the pace and launching a healthy amount of three-pointers in this matchup. Both sides have shown some positive defensive flashes as well, but expect this game to be played in an up-tempo style with plenty of shots being attempted. If both teams were to score to their average, the game total would finish at 231 exactly. If both teams were to allow their average, this number would finish at 219.7. The 213.5 game total feels far too low based on the context of these teams’ styles of play. Buckle up for plenty of perimeter shooting and for the game total to go over this line.
