The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a solid win over the Atlanta Hawks heading into their first game of 2023, on the road against the Charlotte Hornets.
2022 was a year to forget for Charlotte, as the team was knocked out of tournament play last season, and this season has gotten off to a terrible 10-27 start.
LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier will try to turn things around in the second half of the season, but the Hornets look like a foolproof lottery team at this point in the 2022-23 campaign.
LeBron James went on to lead the Lakers in a win over Atlanta on his 38th birthday, scoring 47 points and hitting one of his three-pointers in the win. He will have to hold Los Angeles until Anthony Davis (footer) can return.
Now, the Lakers sit at No. 13 in the Western Conference.
These two teams faced off earlier this season in Los Angeles as the Hornets cruised to a four-point victory. Will Charlotte do it again as a short-lived favorite of the house?
Let’s dive into the possibilities and pick this match:
Lakers vs. Hornets odds, spread and total
Prediction and selection Lakers vs. Hornets
I’m not convinced to team up for this game, especially since my initial inclination would be toward the Lakers.
Los Angeles is a better team than the Hornets at this point in the season, but the team’s offense has been choppy all season around James and Davis. With AD out, I can’t trust the Lakers as road dogs, especially since they’re only 5-13 against the spread in this place this season.
However, who would bet on the Hornets as a favorite? The team is only 10-27 on the season, and won’t have forward Kelly Ober in this game.
Instead, you’ve outgrown the grand total in this game for several reasons.
Yes, it’s a high number at 242.5, but plus is the only way to go in this matchup.
The first game between these two teams ended with 264 points overall, and both teams are pushing the pace at insane rates. The Lakers are second in the NBA in pace this season, while the Hornets are eighth.
While neither team has been effective on offense, both are struggling defensively as well, ranking 26th (Charlotte) and 20th (Los Angeles) in defensive rankings.
There will be a lot of possessions in this game, and it is worth noting that over the last 10 games Charlotte has been ranked first in speed. With LaMelo back in the lineup, the Hornets offense is soon set to turn around.
Find Peter Dewey’s full betting history here.
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The game odds are updated periodically and are subject to change.
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