Spread and over/under predictions: Celtics at Hornets, the sequel

Picks for tonight's Hornets game.

Nov 1, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) on defense against Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the second half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Hornets (2-3) are back home on Saturday night as they host the Boston Celtics (5-1).

The two teams met just last night when the Celtics pulled away late to secure the 124-109 victory. Not only will the Hornets be looking for revenge on the defending champs, but they will also be looking to claw their way back to .500 on the young season under first-year coach Charles Lee.

Here are my picks for tonight's game. Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

Star ratings (Strength of prediction):

1 Star - Not very confident
2 Star - A little confident
3 Star - Fairly confident
4 Star - Very confident
5 Star - Should be a lock to happen

Spread: Celtics -11 

3-star play on the Hornets (+11): Winning games in the NBA is hard. Winning games on the road is even harder. Winning games on the road against a team that you just played against the night before is an even greater challenge.

Charlotte isn’t healthy enough tonight or talented enough overall to keep pace with Boston’s average output, but 11 points is a whole lot to spot a team in the NBA. Take into consideration that this was a two-possession game after three quarters when the two teams met under nearly identical circumstances last night and you can see why the value seems to lie with Charlotte tonight.

Winning outright would be a tall task, the backcourt duo of LaMelo Ball and Tre Mann should have plenty of firepower to keep this thing within spitting distance.

Over/Under: 231.5

3-star play on the over: The Celtics boast the best offensive rating in the NBA at 123.4 while running at the 15th-fastest pace in the league. Charlotte keeps up in the scoring department with a fifth-ranked 117.1 offensive rating but is just 29th in the NBA with a 120.0 defensive rating.

The second night of the back-to-back should open things up a bit for both teams, so the over seems like a healthy choice with the line given.

My picks this season:

ATS: 1-1 (50%)

O/U: 1-1 (50%)

Overall: 2-2 (50%)

Odds Disclaimer

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