Charlotte Hornets (8-29) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (24-17)
January 17, 2024 8:00 pm EDT
The Line: New Orleans Pelicans -12.5; Over/Under: +231
(Get latest betting odds)
The Charlotte Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans collide at the Smoothie King Center on Wednesday night. Here’s a Hornets vs Pelicans Prediction.
Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets have been in terrible form as they’ve lost 16 of their last 17 games overall and they will be hoping to arrest a five-game slide after getting scorched by the Heat in a 104-87 road defeat on Sunday. Terry Rozier led the team with 26 points and seven assists, LaMelo Ball added 21 points with 10 rebounds and five assists while Miles Bridges chipped in with 20 points. As a team, the Hornets shot just 34 percent from the field and 10 of 41 from the 3-point line as they struggled against the defense of the Heat and were never in the contest after scoring just 31 points in a nightmare of a first half. No Hornets bench player scored more than five points and Ball shot just nine of 24 from the field and three of 13 from the 3-point line.
Charlotte Hornets Team Facts
- The Hornets have lost 16 of their last 17 games.
- The Hornets have failed to cover the spread in each of their last five games.
- Each of the Hornets’ last five road games have gone UNDER the total points line.
New Orleans Pelicans
Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans have been in great shape as they’ve won seven of their last 10 games overall, but they will be hoping to bounce back in this one after coming up short to the Mavericks in a 125-120 road defeat on Monday. Zion Williamson led the team with 30 points on 12 of 17 shooting, CJ McCollum added 23 points with six rebounds and four assists while Brandon Ingram chipped in with 12 points and five assists. As a team, the Pelicans shot 50 percent from the field and seven of 23 from the 3-point line as they looked to be in full control when they erased a 16-point deficit to take a 10-point lead, only to go cold in the fourth quarter to allow the Mavericks off the hook in the end.
New Orleans Pelicans Team Facts
- The Pelicans have lost each of their last four games as favorites against Southeast Division opponents following a loss.
- The Pelicans have covered the spread in each of their last five games against the Hornets following a road loss.
- Seven of the Pelicans’ last eight games against Southeast Division opponents have gone UNDER the total points line.
Hornets vs Pelicans Prediction
The Hornets have been the coldest team in the league lately, things haven’t gotten better despite Ball returning to the lineup and the Hornets just got scorched by the shorthanded Heat. The Pelicans come into this game as one of the form teams in the league as they were on a nice run before they got stopped in their tracks by the Mavericks in a painful loss on Monday. The line is hefty, but the Pelicans are playing well, they’re fully healthy and they’re playing a Hornets team who have lost seven of their last eight games by double digits. Give me the Pelicans to win this one with ease at home.
