The Charlotte Hornets and Atlanta Hawks square off in a potential play-in preview on Wednesday at Spectrum Center. The Hornets are 34-35 overall and 1-2 against the Hawks this season. Atlanta is on a three-game winning streak, improving to 34-34 overall but with an unsightly 12-21 mark on the road. John Collins (finger, foot) is out for the Hawks, with Danilo Gallinari (Achilles) listed as probable. Gordon Hayward (ankle) is out for the Hornets.
Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET in Charlotte. Charlotte is listed as a 1.5-point home favorite, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 237.5 in the latest Hornets vs. Hawks odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Before making any Hawks vs. Hornets picks, be sure to check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model entered Week 21 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 78-48 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning over $2,400. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Hawks vs. Hornets and just locked in its NBA picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Hornets vs. Hawks:
- Hawks vs. Hornets spread: Hornets -1.5
- Hawks vs. Hornets over-under: 237.5 points
- Hawks vs. Hornets money line: Hornets -125, Hawks +105
- ATL: The Hawks are 7-6 against the spread in Southeast Division games
- CHA: The Hornets are 4-7-1 against the spread in Southeast Division games
Latest Odds: Charlotte Hornets -1.5
Why the Hawks can cover
The Hawks are electric on offense, headlined by Trae Young. Atlanta is No. 2 in the NBA in offensive efficiency, scoring nearly 1.15 points per possession, and Young is making an All-NBA case by averaging 28.3 points and 9.4 assists per game. Young is shooting a career-best 38.4 percent from 3-point range, and the talented guard has scored 93 points in his last two games. The Hawks are No. 3 in the NBA in 3-point accuracy (37.0 percent) and No. 4 in the NBA in free-throw accuracy (80.4 percent), but Atlanta is even better in taking care of the ball.
No team commits fewer turnovers (11.9 per game) than the Hawks this season, and Atlanta generates 2.05 assists for every giveaway. This is also an appetizing matchup against a Charlotte defense that is No. 27 in defensive rebound rate, No. 30 in second-chance points allowed, and No. 30 assists allowed this season with the No. 23 overall mark in defensive efficiency.
Why the Hornets can cover
Charlotte’s offense is very strong and Atlanta’s defense is struggling. The Hornets are in the top 10 of the NBA in offensive efficiency, and Charlotte is No. 2 in the league in assists, averaging more than 27 per game. The Hornets are in the top six of the NBA in turnover rate (13.0 percent) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.06), and Charlotte is making 36.2 percent of 3-point attempts this season.
The Hornets are No. 2 in the league in fast-break points and No. 3 in points in the paint, helping to boost efficiency with easy buckets. Atlanta ranks No. 27 in the NBA in defensive efficiency this season, and the Hawks are No. 28 in the league in turnover creation. The Hawks are also No. 25 in the league in field-goal percentage allowed and assists allowed, indicating Atlanta could have trouble slowing a high-powered Charlotte offense.
How to make Hornets vs. Hawks picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, with the teams projected to combine for 228 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits almost 60 percent of the time. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Hawks vs. Hornets? And which side of the spread hits almost 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
