Charlotte Hornets at Washington Wizards
Time: 6 PM CT (NBA TV)
Spread: PICK
Total: 205.5
Betting odds c/o 5dimes
The Charlotte Hornets snapped a two-game skid by knocking off the Toronto Raptors and will look to improve to 16-10 with a victory over the Washington Wizards.
NBA oddsmakers are calling this one close, with even odds for the game which will be aired at 6 PM CT on NBA TV.
Click HERE to see live NBA odds from major bookmakers!
In the 109-99 win over Toronto, we saw Jeremy Lin explode as he often does against poor defensive teams. Lin had 35 points in a starting role that saw the oft criticized guard play 47 minutes and hit 13 of 22 from the field (including 2 of 5 from three-point range). Lin’s brilliance was complemented by Kemba Walker who contributed 27 points on 10 of 24 shooting. The Hornets led by 12 at halftime but squandered its lead in the second half before forcing OT where it outscored Toronto 19-9 in the extra period.
Lin had seen an uptick in time prior to the 47 minute marathon in Toronto. Against Orlando he saw 29 minutes, but has averaged 31 over the Hornets last five games while posting averages of 15.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He is good for 11.5 on the season, but people realize what Lin can do when he smells blood. His 11.2 shot attempts over the last five may see a further rise still as the Hornets continue to search for reliable sources of offense.
Walker has been that most consistent source of scoring and is averaging 18.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and five assists per game. Free agent acquisition Nicolas Batum has filled the role of the injured Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, in becoming a much better scorer—or at least more utilized. Batum is battling an illness but is expected to play.
The former Portland Trail Blazer is averaging a career high 16.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game in just under 34 minutes. Al Jefferson was suspended for smoking marijuana, but he had been falling off from his usual production anyway (further proof that marijuana is not a performance enhancer, if there were any doubt).
Jefferson is averaging 13.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game this year in just 26 minutes a night. Drafting Frank Kaminsky really cut into his playing time, but the Hornets are high on Kaminsky. Jefferson is out for five-games with the suspension.
“Frank the Tank” has averaged just 18 minutes per game, but he has been reasonably productive during those minutes and certainly has shown some of the potential that caused the Hornets to pass on a very lopsided trade that would have put them out of position to draft the Wisconsin product on draft night. He has averaged 5.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while posting a PER of 12.1.
The Hornets are getting solid production from the top half of its rotation, with Lin, Jeremy Lamb, Marvin Williams and Cody Zeller rounding out a productive top-eight.
The 10-14 Washington Wizards have dropped its past two games to the San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies, finishing a four-game Western Conference road trip 1-3. Its lone win of the trip came against the Dallas Mavericks as the Wiz won 114-111. Washington has allowed 107 points or more in its last five games, so slowing the hot shooting Hornets could prove tough, even on its homecourt.
In the 114-95 loss to San Antonio the Wizards got a solid game from center Marcin Gortat, who scored 20 points on 9 of 15 shooting and snagged 10 boards.
All-star John Wall struggled, hitting just 6 of 18 from the field and committing five turnovers. Wall has scored 20 or more in four of his past five games, and he had 26 points in three straight Wizards games prior to putting up a stinker against the Memphis Grizzlies (just six points on the night for Wall).
The Wizards are still without Bradley Beal who is battling a leg injury and is expected to miss two-to-four weeks. Nene Hilario has a calf injury and is listed as questionable, and Otto Porter is also questionable with a thigh injury. Being without those three starters would be a death blow for Washington, even with Wall playing at a high level. Beal is the second-leading scorer on the team and his shooting is needed to keep the floor spaced.
