The Portland Trail Blazers (16-28) and Charlotte Hornets (11-29) meet Friday. Tip-off from Spectrum Center is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NBA odds around the Trail Blazers vs. Hornets odds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: First meeting; split last season 1-1
The Trail Blazers are coming off a 101-79 win at the Orlando Magic Thursday, covering as 7-point underdogs with the Under (213) hitting. G Anfernee Simons had a team-high 21 points for Portland, which has won 3 straight games — all as an underdog.
The Hornets snapped a 3-game win streak with a non-cover as 11.5-point underdogs in a 132-120 defeat at the Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday as the Over (241.5) cashed. C Mark Williams had a career-high 38 points on 14-of-18 shooting from the field.
In the 2 head-to-head meetings season, the road team won and covered with the Over/Under (O/U) going 0-2.
Portland won the last meeting 89-86 as a 1.5-point road underdog with the Under (211.5) hitting April 3. Trail Blazers G Scoot Henderson had 22 points and 10 assists in his first game against fellow top-three 2023 draft pick Hornets F Brandon Miller (21 points).
Trail Blazers at Hornets odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:22 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Trail Blazers +170 (bet $100 to win $170) | Hornets -210 (bet $210 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Trail Blazers +4.5 (-102) | Hornets -4.5 (-118)
- Over/Under: 220.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Trail Blazers at Hornets key injuries
Trail Blazers
(Not yet submitted — below was for Thursday’s game)
- C Deandre Ayton (knee) out
- C Donovan Clingan (ankle) out
Hornets
- G LaMelo Ball (wrist) questionable
- F Miles Bridges (back) questionable
- G Tre Mann (back) out
- F Brandon Miller (wrist) out
- F Grant Williams (ACL) out
For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.
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Trail Blazers at Hornets picks and predictions
Prediction
Hornets 113, Trail Blazers 112
Moneyline
It’s unlikely that Portland (+170) will win a fourth straight game as an underdog. However, the ML price on Charlotte (-210) is too high.
Instead, there’s an interesting prop available. Ball (wrist) is listed as questionable, but the price on Charlotte ML, coupled with his props being listed at multiple books, implies that he’ll likely play.
The All-Star starters were announced Thursday night, and Ball was listed as a reserve despite finishing first in fan voting and third in player voting among guards. The media vote is what dropped him out of the starting lineup, as he finished seventh in that category.
Expect Ball to come out extra motivated to show the media voters that they were mistaken. And what does a motivated Ball mean? A lot of 3’s will get shot.
BET LAMELO BALL 5 + MADE 3’S (+115), which is available at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Against the spread
The -118 tax on the Hornets laying 4.5 points as the market looks to fade the Trail Blazers may be too much to overcome. Portland likely covers this number, but taking the points with an underdog off 3 consecutive upsets just seems a little too easy.
LEAN TRAIL BLAZERS +4.5 (-102).
Over/Under
The Hornets are 4-1 to the Over in their last 5 games.
Ball’s reaction to getting snubbed as an All-Star starter may lead to the pace getting ramped up. He’ll likely shoot a lot of long 3’s, which will either result in more scoring for Charlotte or more fast-break opportunities off long rebounds for Portland.
BET OVER 220.5 (-110).
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