The Charlotte Hornets and Boston Celtics meet Sunday in NBA action at the TD Garden. Here’s a Celtics vs Hornets Prediction. This article will include a Celtics vs Hornets Pick.
Charlotte Hornets Betting Preview
The Charlotte Hornets recently lost to the Bulls, Grizzlies, and Celtics. The Hornets have lost 13 of their last 16 games and haven’t made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season.
The Charlotte Hornets are averaging 105.3 points on 43.1 percent shooting and allowing 114.5 points on 46.8 percent shooting. LaMelo Ball is averaging 25.2 points and 5 rebounds, while Miles Bridges is averaging 20.9 points and 7.8 rebounds. Mark Williams is the third double-digit scorer, and Nick Smith Jr. is grabbing 1.9 rebounds. The Charlotte Hornets are shooting 34 percent from beyond the arc and 78.5 percent from the free-throw line. The Charlotte Hornets are allowing 35.6 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 45.1 rebounds per game.
Boston Celtics Betting Preview
The Boston Celtics recently beat the Knicks and lost to the Magic. The Celtics have the second seed in the East and will play the winner of Hawks – Magic in the play-in tournament.
The Boston Celtics are averaging 116.6 points on 46.3 percent shooting and allowing 107.4 points on 45.1 percent shooting. Jayson Tatum is averaging 26.8 points and 8.7 rebounds, while Jaylen Brown is averaging 22.2 points and 5.8 rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis is the third double-digit scorer, and Derrick White is grabbing 4.5 rebounds. The Boston Celtics are shooting 36.9 percent from beyond the arc and 80 percent from the free-throw line. The Boston Celtics are allowing 34.8 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 45.3 rebounds per game.
Why the Boston Celtics will win
- The Hornets have lost each of their last 13 road games against Atlantic Division opponents.
- The Celtics have won each of their last 12 day games at TD Garden.
- The Hornets have failed to cover the spread in each of their last 10 games following a loss.
- The Celtics have covered the spread in each of their last eight home games against Hornets teams that held a losing record.
Why the Charlotte Hornets will win
- The Celtics have lost three of their last four home games against Southeast Division opponents following a win.
- The Hornets have covered the spread in five of their last six games against Eastern Conference opponents that held a winning record.
- The Celtics have failed to cover the spread in five of their last six games against Eastern Conference opponents following a win.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Celtics rank 1st in the league for opponent blocks per game this season (3.6).
- The Celtics rank 1st in the league for three-point field goals made per game this season (17.8).
- The Hornets rank 30th in the league for field goal percentage this season (43.1%).
- The Hornets have missed the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons – longest active streak in the NBA
Celtics vs Hornets Injury Report
The Celtics will be without Jaylen Brown.
The Charlotte Hornets will be without LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Grant Williams, Tre Mann, and Josh Okogie.
Celtics vs Hornets Prediction
I doubt the Celtics are going to play any of their top players with the second seed locked up. I’m still siding with the Celtics in this spot. The Hornets are a mess, which includes a 1-9 SU and ATS record in their last 10 games. The Celtics and Hornets played each other on Friday, and Boston won by 36 points while taking much of the first half off.
The Celtics are a deep team, so even playing their backups can result in a decent showing. The Hornets have just seven road wins, and they’re 36-43-2 ATS despite being big underdogs nightly. Give me the Celtics and whatever the line is.