The Washington Wizards are set to face the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, as both teams look to improve their standings in a challenging NBA season. Currently, the Wizards have a record of 5-22, while the Hornets sit at 9-20, with Charlotte leading the season series 1-0.
The Wizards recently suffered a loss to the San Antonio Spurs, falling 124-113, but managed to cover as a 14-point underdog. Guard Bub Carrington led Washington with 21 points, showcasing his shooting prowess with a 7-for-11 performance. Despite trading wins and losses over their past five games, the Wizards appear to be gaining some traction against the spread, going 4-1 in that time frame and now holding a 10-17 ATS record overall.
On the other hand, the Hornets faced a narrow defeat against the Cleveland Cavaliers, losing 139-132. LaMelo Ball stepped up for Charlotte, scoring 23 points while shooting 50% from the field. The Hornets have dropped their last two games but have remained competitive, going 3-4 in their last seven matchups and boasting a solid 15-14 record against the spread for the season.
As the teams head into this matchup, BetMGM Sportsbook has set the odds with the Hornets as the favorites at -235 to win outright, while the Wizards are listed at +190. The spread is set at 5.5 points in favor of the Hornets, with an over/under of 235.5 points for the game.
In terms of injuries, the Wizards could be without forward Marvin Bagley III and guard Bilal Coulibaly, both listed as questionable. The Hornets are dealing with their own injury concerns, with center Ryan Kalkbrenner and guard Collin Sexton also marked as questionable, while forward Grant Williams will not play due to a knee issue.
Experts predict that the Hornets will defeat the Wizards by a score of 124-114. Although the odds suggest a victory for Charlotte, they are deemed too high to bet outright. Instead, a recommended bet may be on the Hornets covering the spread at -5.5, particularly considering their past performances at home and their impressive offensive output in recent games.
There’s also a favorable outlook for the game to go over the total points, given both teams’ recent defensive struggles and trends leaning towards higher scores. The Wizards’ games have frequently hit the over, and the Hornets have shown prowess in scoring as well.
As both teams strive to turn their seasons around, fans can look forward to an exciting matchup that promises plenty of action on the court.