The Charlotte Hornets (9-19) and Cleveland Cavaliers (15-14) meet Monday at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NBA odds around the Hornets vs. Cavaliers odds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Hornets lead 1-0
The Hornets just won in Cleveland Dec. 14, posting a 119-111 overtime victory as a 12.5-point underdog as the Under (233) hung on. Rookie F Kon Knueppel poured in 29 points on 11-of-19 shooting, G Brandon Miller had 25 points and 13 rebounds and F Miles Bridges added 20 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. All 3 players had at least 3 successful 3-pointers.
Charlotte has won 2 of the past 3 games, while the Hornets are 4-2 against the spread (ATS), while the Under has cashed in 10 of the past 12 outings.
The Cavaliers lost 136-125 Friday against the Chicago Bulls as an 8-point favorite as the Over (240) hit. G Darius Garland scored 35 points with 8 assists with 6 triples, trying to pick up the slack with G Donovan Mitchell (illness) out and under the weather.
The Cavaliers have dropped 3 in a row, and they’re 0-5 ATS in the previous 5 outings, while the Under is 3-2 in the 5-game span.
Hornets at Cavaliers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last update at 12:56 p.m. ET.
Moneyline (ML): Hornets +310 (bet $100 to win $310) | Cavaliers -400 (bet $400 to win $100)Against the spread: Hornets +9.5 (-115) | Cavaliers -9.5 (-105)Over/Under (O/U): 238.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)Hornets at Cavaliers key injuries
Hornets
G LaMelo Ball (wrist) probableC Ryan Kalkbrenner (elbow) questionableG Collin Sexton (quadriceps) quadriceps)C Grant Williams (knee) out
Cavaliers
G Sam Merrill (hand) probableG Donovan Mitchell (illness) probableF/C Evan Mobley (calf) outF Larry Nance Jr. (calf) outG Craig Porter Jr. (illness) probableF Max Strus (foot) out
For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.
Hornets at Cavaliers picks and predictionsPrediction
Cavaliers 117, Hornets 110
Playing Cavaliers (-400) is a terrible play. Risking 4 times your potential return is a bad idea anytime, but especially with a Cleveland which has dropped 3 in a row, including a loss as a double-digit favorite against the very same opponent last week.
If anything, the Hornets (+310) are worth rolling the dice upon after winning outright in Cleveland just 8 days ago.
PASS.
The HORNETS +9.5 (-115) are worth playing, as they’re actually hotter lately than the Cavaliers. Charlotte has won 2 of the past 3 games outright, including the OT win in Cleveland on Dec. 14 as a 12.5-point underdog, while also going 4-2 ATS in the past 6 games.
The Cavaliers are 0-5 ATS in the past 5 games, and 2-9 ATS in the previous 11 contests and 8-21 ATS overall this season.
The UNDER 238.5 (-110) is worth a look, but don’t get carried away.
The Under has a slight edge (3-2) in the past 5 games for Cleveland, and one of those games was the OT win by Charlotte.
It’s all about the Under for the Hornets lately, cashing in 10 of the past 12 games, including 6-0 in the past 6 on the road. The Under is 9-2 in the past 11 games on the road, too.
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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