Eastern Conference foes will square off in a potential postseason preview on Saturday in Philadelphia. The Charlotte Hornets will face the Philadelphia 76ers, with the Hornets riding an 8-2 record in their last 10 games. Charlotte is 20-18 on the road this season, while Philadelphia boasts a 21-17 mark at home and a 2-1 advantage over Charlotte in the season series. Gordon Hayward (ankle) is listed as probable for the Hornets. Jaden Springer (groin) is listed as questionable for the 76ers.
Tip-off is at 12:30 p.m. ET in Philadelphia. Caesars Sportsbook lists the 76ers as 5.5-point favorites at home, while the Over-Under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 226.5 in the latest Hornets vs. 76ers odds. Before you make any Hornets vs. 76ers picks and NBA predictions, be sure to see 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 enters Week 24 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 83-51 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning over $2,600. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Hornets vs. 76ers, and just locked in its picks and NBA prediction. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for 76ers vs. Hornets:
- Hornets vs. 76ers spread: 76ers -5.5
- Hornets vs. 76ers over-under: 226.5 points
- Hornets vs. 76ers money line: 76ers -210, Hornets +175
- Charlotte: Hornets are 22-15-1 against the spread in road games
- Philadelphia: 76ers are 15-23 against the spread in home games
Why the Hornets can cover
The Hornets force 15.0 turnovers per game, a top-five figure in the NBA, which includes a top-five mark in steals with 8.6 per contest. Charlotte also blocks 4.9 shots per game, ranking in the top 10, and all of the chaos helps fuel an elite transition offense. Philadelphia also has glaring issues on the offensive glass, ranking in the bottom five in offensive rebound rate, so preventing second-chance opportunities projects to be easier for Charlotte.
The Hornets are scoring 15.8 fast break points per game, a top-three mark, and are in the top three in points in the paint (50.6 per game), assists (27.2 per game), assist percentage (65.3 percent), and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.11). The Hornets commit a turnover on fewer than 13 percent of offensive possessions and are above the league average in field goal accuracy (46.4 percent) and three-point accuracy (36.2 percent).
Why the 76ers can cover
Philadelphia's offense should be able to generate efficient production against Charlotte. The 76ers are scoring 1.12 points per possession this season, landing above the league average. Philadelphia is in the top five in turnover rate, giving the ball away on fewer than 13 percent of offensive possessions, and the 76ers are elite at the free throw line. The 76ers rank in the top three of the NBA in both free throw creation and free throw accuracy, and Charlotte's defense is below-average overall.
The Hornets allow 112.6 points per 100 possessions, ranking in the bottom third of the NBA. Charlotte is in the bottom five of the league in assists allowed (26.3 per game), defensive rebound rate (70.6 percent) and fast break points allowed (14.1 per game). The Hornets also allow more second-chance points (15.2 per game) than any team in the NBA. With that projection alongside Philadelphia's top-10 overall defense and home-court advantage, the 76ers have a strong setup.
How to make Hornets vs. 76ers picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over the total, projecting 231 total points to be scored. The model also says one side of the spread hits in over 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins 76ers vs. Hornets? And which side of the spread hits in over 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Hornets vs. 76ers spread you need to jump on Saturday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
