The Detroit Pistons (7-22) visit the Charlotte Hornets (7-20) on Wednesday. Action tips off at 7:10 pm ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Pistons-Hornets prediction.
Detroit has lost three consecutive games to drop them to last place in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons are 14-12-3 against the spread while 57% of their games have gone over. Charlotte has lost five straight games and currently sits in 14th place in the East. The Hornets are 12-14-1 against the spread while 52% of their games have gone over. This will be the first of four meetings between the two teams. Last season the Hornets took two of three matchups.
Here are the Pistons-Hornets NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Pistons-Hornets Odds
Detroit Pistons: +3 (-110)
Charlotte Hornets: -3 (-110)
Over: 227.5 (-110)
Under: 227.5 (-110)
Why The Pistons Could Cover The Spread
Detroit is firmly in the “tank for Wembanyama” mode of their season as their underlying metrics point to them being one of the worst all-around teams in the league. They’re poor on offense where they rank 26th in scoring and 24th in offensive rating. They’re somehow worse on defense, ranking 28th in points allowed and 29th in defensive rating. The Pistons are slightly more competent on the glass but still rank just 26th in rebound differential and 18th in rebound rate. Detroit will continue to be without Cade Cunningham as he was recently ruled out for the season with an injury.
With Cunningham officially out for the season, the Pistons can put to rest any hopes of making a surprise play-in tournament run. Ironically, that may actually improve their chances of covering the spread tonight thanks to increased motivation from forward Bojan Bogdanovic. The 33-year-old will surely be one of the hottest commodities on the trade market and he has a huge incentive to continue his strong play of late. For the season, Bogdanovic averages 21 PPG while shooting 51% from the field, 44% from three, and 93% from the free throw line. He’s also coming off arguably the best game of his career – a sign he recognizes the incentive to raise his stock as much as possible. In their loss to the Lakers, Bogdanovic scored 38 points (12-22, 6-12 from three). His increased motivation and strong play of late is worth keeping in mind before making a Pistons-Hornets prediction.
Bogdanovic isn’t the only guy flashing their scoring prowess in Detroit, as third-year forward Saddiq Bey and rookie guard Jaden Ivey have shown glimpses of elite offensive production. Both players are raw and inexperienced, but both possess incredible potential. For the season, Ivey averages 15.3 PPG while Bey averages 14.8. Both players are inefficient, but they’ve had moments where you can see why the Pistons salivate over their potential. They’re not safe bets to perform, but as secondary scorers to Bogdanovic, the two give Detroit a high ceiling and a great chance to cover the spread.
Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread
Charlotte has been plagued by injuries and also finds themselves entering the tanking territory. Charlotte’s biggest issue lies on the offensive end where they rank 27th in scoring and last in offensive rating. They’re nearly as bad on defense, ranking 24th in points allowed and 25th in defensive rating. The one thing they don’t do poorly is rebound, although they’re still below average ranking 17th in rebound differential and 17th in rebound rate. The Hornets will notably be without LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward, and Dennis Smith Jr. tonight due to injuries.
Lost in the disaster which has been the 2022-23 Charlotte Hornets, Terry Rozier is quietly having an incredible season. The combo guard averages 22.2 PPG while shooting 41% from the field and 33% from three. Although he’s an inefficient scorer, Rozier’s non-scoring contributions are what give the Hornets a great chance to cover the spread tonight. He chips in 4.8 RPG and 5.7 APG. His growth as a distributor is especially important thanks to the recent play of backcourt mate Kelly Oubre Jr.
Oubre may have finally found a stable home after bouncing around the league to start his career. He ranks second on the team in scoring at 20.8 PPG and is moderately efficient, shooting 44% from the field. Oubre has been remarkably consistent this season – giving Charlotte a solid floor on a night-to-night basis. The wing has scored 20+ points in 10 of his last 11 games. His strong, consistent play over the last month is something to consider before making a Pistons-Hornets prediction.
Final Pistons-Hornets Prediction & Pick
In a matchup between two of the worst teams in the league, I’ll ride with the Pistons. They’ve looked competitive of late and have a high ceiling thanks to their young scorers.
Final Pistons-Hornets Prediction & Pick: Detroit Pistons +3 (-110)
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