Brooklyn Nets at Charlotte Hornets - 12/31/22 NBA Picks and Prediction

The Brooklyn Nets invade the Spectrum Center to take on the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night.

The Brooklyn Nets are currently the hottest team in the league as they have won 14 of their past 15 games overall and they will be eager to build on their league-best 10-game win streak after outlasting the Hawks in a 108-107 road win on Wednesday. Kyrie Irving led the team with 28 points and eight assists, Kevin Durant added 26 points with 16 rebounds and eight assists while Nic Claxton chipped in with 17 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks. As a team, the Nets shot 50 percent from the field and 10 of 26 from the 3-point line as they struggled to contain the Hawks in the first half and trailed by as many as 15 points, but they came to life in the third quarter where they held the Hawks to just 17 points which set up a close finish where they were lucky to escape as the Hawks’ Dejounte Murray missed the potential game-tying free throws with just 29 seconds remaining.

Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets have been in decent shape as they’ve split their last six games and they will be looking to build some momentum after upsetting the Thunder in a 121-113 home win on Thursday. LaMelo Ball led the team with 27 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, PJ Washington added 25 points on 10 of 13 shooting while Mark Williams chipped in with 17 points and 13 rebounds on seven of seven shooting off the bench. As a team, the Hornets shot 54 percent from the field and 10 of 32 from the 3-point line as they set the tone with 36 points in the first quarter, but they lost their early lead and needed another 36 points in the fourth quarter to pull off the upset.