Charlotte Hornets vs. Golden State Warriors Odds, Preview, Prediction
Hornets vs. Warriors Odds
| Hornets Odds | +6 |
| Warriors Odds | -6 |
| Over/Under | 219 |
| Date | Wednesday, Nov. 3 |
| Time | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
On Wednesday evening, the Charlotte Hornets and the Golden State Warriors will battle at Chase Center. The Hornets enter play tonight at 5-3, but they have dropped two of their last three contests. The Warriors enter tonight’s action with only one loss on the year—a three point defeat in overtime to the Memphis Grizzlies. Oddsmakers anticipate another Golden State victory, pricing the Warriors as 6 point home favorites on the spread.
Let’s take a closer look at the matchup between the two teams, along with NBA betting tips, as we try to find value at sportsbooks for this Wednesday night game.
Charlotte Hornets (+6)
Charlotte has wins this season against the Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic, and Portland Trail Blazers. Their losses have come to the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, and Cleveland, who they were playing for the second time in less than two weeks.
On the offensive end of the floor, this is one of the deepest teams in the league. Miles Bridges, LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward, “(player-popup #kelly-oubre)Kelly Oubre Jr, Terry Rozier, and P.J. Washington are each averaging double-digits in scoring. Cody Martin, Ish Smith, and Mason Plumlee make this roster nine-deep on any given night. It is no surprise that the Hornets rank third in the NBA in offensive efficiency through the first eight games of the campaign. Part of Charlotte’s efficiency is attributable to the fact that they are leading the NBA, shooting 41.1 percent from beyond the arc.
Yet, the Hornets are going to struggle to be competitive with some of the elite teams in the league until they improve defensively. This unit ranks 28th in the NBA in defensive efficiency, allowing 111.1 points per 100 possessions. Charlotte struggles to play defense without fouling, allowing their opponents to shoot 20.3 free throw attempts per game. It does not help Charlotte’s case that they have the second-worst defensive rebounding rate in the league.
Golden State Warriors (-6)
On opening night, the Warriors went to the Staples Center and knocked off the Los Angeles Lakers. Golden State subsequently handled the Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, and the Oklahoma City Thunder twice.
Stephen Curry is emerging as an early season MVP candidate, averaging 28.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. Though Golden State remains without a bonafide second scoring option, Andrew Wiggins, Damion Lee, and Jordan Poole have all been solid contributors—each posting 14.0 points or more per game. The Warriors, led unambiguously by Curry, rank only 17th in offensive efficiency through six contests, but they are more than capable of beating most teams with their stifling defense on a nightly basis.
Only the Miami Heat are allowing fewer points per 100 possessions this year than the Warriors. Golden State is smothering their opponents on the perimeter, holding them to 30.5 percent shooting from the three-point line. This unit is also adept at playing defense without fouling, ranking fifth in the NBA in opponent free throws attempted per game. The Warriors also have a strong advantage on the boards tonight as one of the best rebounding teams in the league, facing off against Charlotte, one of the worst rebounding teams in basketball.
Hornets vs. Warriors Picks
Charlotte played in Miami last Friday, and played a back-to-back at home on Sunday and Monday against the Trail Blazers and Cavaliers. Golden State has not played since defeating the Thunder last Saturday by 21 points—a game in which only Jordan Poole played more than 27 minutes for the Dubs. Charlotte was only 7-13 with a rest disadvantage last season. The Warriors are the superior team in this matchup, and they are far more rested than the Hornets. Golden State should have enough in the tank to cover the spread tonight at home.
PICKS: Warriors -6 (-110)
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