The Phoenix Suns pay a visit to the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center on Wednesday night.
The Phoenix Suns have been in fine form as they’ve won six of their last nine games overall, but they will be hoping to bounce back here after falling just short to the red-hot Bucks in a 104-101 road loss on Sunday. Devin Booker led the team with 24 points and eight assists, DeAndre Ayton added 22 points with 11 rebounds and two blocks while Chris Paul chipped in with 18 points and seven assists. As a team, the Suns shot 42 percent from the field and eight of 24 from the 3-point line as they looked to be in control when they rallied back from an 11-point deficit to lead by eight points in the fourth quarter, only to get outscored by 18-7 in the final 5:30 to allow the Bucks to run them down in the end.
Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets have struggled for a majority of the season, but they’ve suddenly come to life with a five-game win streak after taking down the Pistons in a 117-106 win on Monday. Terry Rozier led the team with 22 points, Gordon Hayward added 19 points with six assists, while LaMelo Ball tallied 18 points with six rebounds and five assists. As a team, the Hornets shot 51 percent from the field and 13 of 26 from the 3-point line as they swarmed the Pistons from the start and exploded for 41 points in the first quarter to take a 24-point lead which allowed them to cruise the rest of the way.
Looking at the betting trends, the Suns are 5-2 ATS in their last seven road games, 6-2 ATS in their last eight games against a team with a losing record and 3-1-1 ATS in their last five games overall. The Hornets are 4-0 ATS in their last four home games, 6-0 ATS in their last six games following a win and 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.
Head to head, the over is 12-4 in the last 16 meetings overall.
The Suns are still missing Landry Shamet, but the big news is that Kevin Durant is expected to debut here, while the Hornets are shorthanded as LaMelo Ball and PJ Washington are both out. This would’ve been an interesting matchup if the Hornets were at full health because they’ve looked good during their five-game win streak, but with Ball out, I don’t give the Hornets much of a chance against this new-look Suns lineup.
AUTHOR: Peter Tran
