The Charlotte Hornets (33-38) visit Capital One Arena for a pivotal regular-season finale against the host Washington Wizards (33-38). Tip-off is at 1 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Hornets-Wizards odds and lines, with NBA picks and predictions.
Charlotte has lost four straight games and five of its past six while going 2-4 against the spread to put itself in the position of needing to beat Washington to have two chances of clinching a playoff berth in the play-in tournament.
Washington won three of its past five games (3-1-1 ATS) with the only losses coming by a combined 5 points in a back-to-back with the Atlanta Hawks.
The Hornets are going for the season sweep of the Wizards as they won and covered each of the first two head-to-head meetings.
Hornets at Wizards: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:05 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Hornets +220 (bet $100 to win $220) | Wizards -275 (bet $275 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Hornets +6.5 (-110) | Wizards -6.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 228.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
Hornets at Wizards: Key injuries
Hornets
- SF Gordon Hayward (foot) out
- SG Cody Martin (ankle) out
Wizards
- SG Bradley Beal (hamstring) questionable
- SG Raul Neto (hamstring) questionable
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Hornets at Wizards: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Wizards 121, Hornets 114
Money line (ML)
PASS because Washington is the play but the Wizards (-275) are a little out of my price range for an NBA regular-season favorite even if it’s the final game of the season.
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Against the spread (ATS)
Since the beginning of April, these teams have been going in opposite directions and the WIZARDS -6.5 (-110) have been playing like one of the better teams in the league.
Washington is 16-9 while Charlotte is 9-16 with the 25th-ranked net rating since April 1st. While results in sports aren’t based on what should happen, the Wizards are a lot more deserving of the Eastern Conference’s 8-seed than the Hornets.
The main factor for this is Charlotte’s injury issues, but the Wizards struggled through the early part of their season because of COVID-19 complications and their own injuries.
I’m drafting Washington’s momentum and BETTING the WIZARDS -6.5 (-110) for a half unit only because I like the total as much as the side in this matchup.
Over/Under (O/U)
“LEAN” to the OVER 228.5 (-115) for a half unit because I envision the Wizards upping the tempo of this game and the Hornets being able to keep up the scoring on Washington’s poor defense.
The Wizards play at the fastest pace in the NBA and are 20th by defensive rating, but the Hornets are ninth in 3-point attempts per game and 19th in defensive rating.
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