The Sacramento Kings (13-20) hosts the Charlotte Hornets (15-17) Sunday at the Golden 1 Center for a 10 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Hornets-Kings odds and lines, with NBA picks and predictions.
Charlotte has been up-and-down in recent weeks and is 3-3 overall and ATS in the last six games. The defense has been a real issue for the Hornets in the first three of a five-game road trip as they’ve 127.6 points per in those games.
The Kings started out their month winning the first four games before going on a nine-game losing skid that they just snapped with a 110-107 win over the Detroit Pistons Friday. Sacramento was flirting with playoff contention but has fallen to 13th in the West.
Hornets at Kings: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 3:20 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Hornets +115 (bet $100 to win $115) | Kings -140 (bet $140 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Hornets +2.5 (-110) | Kings -2.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 236.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Hornets at Kings: Key injuries
Hornets
- SF Gordon Hayward (hand) probable
- C Cody Zeller (hip) questionable
- PG Devonte’ Graham (knee) out
- SG Caleb Martin (COVID-19) out
Kings
- SG Tyrese Haliburton (calf) out
- PF Jabari Parker (COVID-19 protocols) out
- C Hassan Whiteside (COVID-19) out
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Hornets at Kings: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Kings 118, Hornets 111
Money line (ML)
Slight lean on KINGS (-140), but if they get any pricier, I’d pass and just lay the points with Sacramento.
However, the Hornets are just too banged up, and the absence of key defenders should help an above-average Kings’ offense have success Sunday. Charlotte will be without its best perimeter defender in Graham and its best interior defender in Zeller.
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Against the spread (ATS)
The Hornets have the third-lowest defensive rebounding rate, and according to CleaningTheGlass.com, Zeller is in the 89th percentile of bigs in on-off defensive rebounding rate.
Sacramento is 12th in offensive rebounding rate, ninth in field goal percentage within five feet of the basket, and Charlotte has the eighth-worst defensive field goal percentage within five feet of the basket.
I like Kings guard De’Aaron Fox to penetrate the paint all game vs. the Hornets and for Sacramento to dominate the interior without Zeller in the lineup.
TAKE KINGS -2.5 (-110).
Over/Under (O/U)
Given each team’s O/U record, Hornets-Kings feels like a surefire Over, but the puzzling line movement and my prediction being several points below BetMGM‘s projection has me lean UNDER 236.5 (-110) for a quarter-unit.
According to Pregame.com, nearly 80% of the bets placed for the total have been on the Over, yet it’s being brought down from a 239-point opener. What that tells me is the House wants pro-Over money, and we don’t want to play into the House’s hands.
I’m not in love with this bet, so don’t wager too much on it, but the UNDER 236.5 (-110) is the better play.
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Also see:
- WATCH: Kenan Thompson revives LaVar Ball character on SNL, jokes about LaMelo Ball and Hornets (Lonzo Wire)
- Bet Slippin’ Podcast: PGA Tour double-dip and what’s up with James Harden’s MVP odds?
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