It will be a battle between Southeast Division opponents when the Charlotte Hornets (17-25) welcome the Washington Wizards (25-19) to Spectrum Center. The game starts at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, January 17, 2018, and will air on Fox Sports Carolina.
Charlotte opened as a 1-point favorite, while the game’s Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 211.5 points.
Washington Wizards vs. Charlotte Hornets ATS Prediction
The Wizards are trying to rebound after their 104-95 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in their last outing. Milwaukee’s turnover percentage was their largest strength over Washington. The Bucks had a rate of 15.3 (worse than their season average of 12.4), while the Wizards posted a mark of 20.4 (above their season average of 12.2). John Wall was the top scorer from either team with 27 points on 7-for-22 shooting.
In the Hornets’ last game, they were victorious over the Detroit Pistons, 118-107. The Hornets held the Pistons to an offensive rebounding percentage of 7.0 (below their season average of 23.2). The Pistons had a free throw rate of 0.093 (below their season average of 0.166). Dwight Howard was the top scorer from either team with 21 points on 9-for-12 shooting.
The aggressive Charlotte offense seems poised to dominate from the foul line. The Hornets currently rank second in the NBA with a free throw attempt (FTA) rate of 0.231, while Washington ranks 25th in FTA rate allowed (0.213).
Washington heads into the contest with records of 25-19 straight up (SU) and 19-25 against the spread (ATS). Games featuring the Wizards have typically finished under the total (56.8 percent).
Meanwhile, Charlotte is 17-25 SU and 17-21-4 ATS. Hornets games also have finished under the projected point total 54.8 percent of the time.
Wall has averaged 25.8 points, 12.2 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.2 blocks over the last five games for Washington.
This is the second game of the season between these two teams. Howard had 26 points and 13 rebounds in the first matchup, in which the Hornets defeated the Wizards 129-124, covering as 2.5-point favorites. The game finished with a total of 253 points, which was 44.5 points above the projected point total of 208.5 points. The Hornets knocked down 33 of their 40 free throws (82.5 percent) and had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (29.2 vs. 20.9).
Washington Wizards at Charlotte Hornets ATS Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Wizards, ATS Winner – Wizards, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes:
Washington is 11-9 ATS on the road with 15 unders and 5 overs.
At home, Charlotte is 10-12-1 ATS with 14 unders and 9 overs.
Charlotte is 8-2 when they allow under 100 points, while Washington is 13-1.
In games where they reach 100 points, the Hornets are 16-10 and the Wizards are 22-9.
Charlotte ranks first in second chance points allowed per game (9.7) while Washington ranks 23rd (13.3).
The Wizards rank 10th in assists per game (23.0) while the Hornets rank 29th (20.5).
Charlotte averages 46.6 rebounds per game, which ranks third in the league. Washington ranks 20th in rebounds allowed per game (43.8).
The Wizards rank 12th in steals per game (7.9) while the Hornets rank 28th (6.6).
Washington ranks fourth in points off turnovers per game (18.2) while Charlotte ranks 19th (15.9).
The Wizards rank 13th in fast break points per game (11.3) while the Hornets rank 25th (9.3).
Washington ranks 22nd in three pointers attempted per game (25.9) while Charlotte ranks 23rd in three pointers allowed per game (30.4).
The Hornets average 43.2 points in the paint per game, which ranks 16th in the NBA. The Wizards rank 17th in points allowed in the paint per game (45.1).
Bettings Trends:
In their last five games, Washington is 0-5 ATS with 3 overs, 1 under and 1 push.
Charlotte is 3-2 ATS with 3 unders and 2 overs over their last five games.
The Wizards have been outscored by an average of 1.4 points in their last five games. For the season, Washington has defeated opponents by an average of 2.2 points.
During their last five games, the Hornets have scored an average of 105.4 points per game (0.4 above their season average) and allowed an average of 101.0 points per game (4.7 below their season average).
