Hornets vs. Cavaliers Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Sunday, Jan. 5

Betting odds, pick and prediction for the Charlotte Hornets-Cleveland Cavaliers matchup on Sunday.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs are favored on Sunday. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers just keep winning.

At 30-4, Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs have the best record in the NBA and a 4.5-game lead on the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Charlotte Hornets.

Cleveland has won nine games in a row while the Hornets have dropped nine games in a row and only have seven total wins on the season.

To make matters worse, both LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller are questionable for this matchup for Charlotte. 

As a result, oddsmakers have set the Cavs as 15.5-point favorites, and it’s likely a spread that they can cover, as Cleveland has the second-best net rating in the NBA at +11.6.

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, my favorite prop bets, and a prediction for this Eastern Conference battle on Sunday. 

Hornets vs. Cavaliers Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Hornets +15.5 (-112)
• Cavs -15.5 (-108)

Moneyline

• Hornets: +850
• Cavs: -1450

Total

• 224.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Hornets vs. Cavaliers How to Watch

• Date: Sunday, Jan. 5
• Time: 6:00 p.m. EST
• Venue: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
• How to Watch (TV): Bally Sports (Local)
• Hornets record: 7-26
• Cavs record: 30-4

Hornets vs. Cavaliers Injury Reports

Hornets Injury Report

• LaMelo Ball – questionable
• Brandon Miller – questionable
• Moussa Diabate – out
• Josh Green – probable
• DaQuan Jeffries – questionable
• Tre Mann – out
• Isaiah Wong – out
• Grant Williams – out

Cavs Injury Report

• Emoni Bates – out
• Isaac Okoro – out
• Sam Merrill – questionable
• Luke Travers – out

Hornets vs. Cavaliers Best NBA Prop Bet

Charlotte Hornets Best Prop Bet

• LaMelo Ball OVER 26.5 Points (-115)

If he plays, LaMelo Ball is a must bet at this number, even against a stingy Cavs defense.

Ball scored 31 points on 11-of-29 shooting in his last matchup with the Cavs, and he enters Sunday’s contest averaging 30.1 points per game on 42.5 percent shooting from the field and 34.6 percent from 3.

The one-time All-Star is going to take a ton of shots (averaging 24.6 attempts per game) which gives him a terrific floor when it comes to this prop. 

Cleveland Cavaliers Best Prop Bet 

• Donovan Mitchell UNDER 5.5 Assists (-140)

So far this season, Mitchell has cleared 5.5 dimes in just 12 of his 33 games, and he’s averaging 4.7 assists per contest.

While he did have eight dimes against Charlotte in his lone matchup against it this season, I’m not on Mitchell at this number on Sunday.

First off, there’s a chance this is a blowout and Mitchell’s minutes are limited, and secondly, the Hornets are actually in the top half of the league (14th) in opponent assists per game. 

I’ll fade Mitchell in this prop since it’s well above his season’s average. 

Hornets vs. Cavaliers Prediction and Pick

The Cavs have a pair of 14-point wins over the Hornets already this season, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see them pick up another blowout win – especially if Ball and Miller sit.

The Hornets rank just 25th in the NBA in net rating this season at -6.6, and they simply lack the offensive firepower to keep up with this Cavs team.

Even with Ball and Miller playing a majority of the team’s games this season, the Hornets are 29th in offensive rating, well behind the No. 1-rated Cavs. Plus, the Cavs are the best shooting team in the NBA this season – No. 1 in effective field goal percentage – while the Hornets are 29th in that statistic.

Cleveland has also been dominant at home, covering the spread in 13 of 18 games as a home favorite, posting an average scoring margin of +14.1 points in those games. 

I’ll lay the points with Cleveland as its early-season rampage continues.  

Pick: Cavs -15.5 (-108)

---

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.