Charlotte Hornets (19-58) vs Oklahoma City Thunder (52-25)
Game Info: Sunday, April 7, 2024 at 6:00 pm (Spectrum Center)
Betting Odds: Charlotte Hornets +8.5 --- Over/Under: Click Here for the Latest Odds
The Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Hornets meet Sunday in NBA action at the Spectrum Center. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Thunder vs Hornets prediction.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been in a funk as they've lost five of their last eight games overall but they will be hoping to snap a three-game skid after getting routed by the Pacers in a 126-112 road defeat on Friday. Luguentz Dort led the team with 22 points on eight of 15 shooting, Kenrich Williams added 18 points off the bench on seven of seven shooting, while Josh Giddey tallied 14 points with nine rebounds and 12 assists. As a team, the Thunder shot 48 percent from the field and eight of 30 from the 3-point line, but they weren't at their usual standards on the defensive end and were always fighting an uphill battle after getting scorched by 38 points in the second quarter.
Charlotte Hornets
Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets have been in rough shape as they've lost nine of their last 11 games overall, but they will be feeling much better after stopping a four-game slide with a 124-115 home win over the Magic on Friday. The Brandon Miller led the team with 32 points on 11 of 13 shooting, Miles Bridges added 23 points with six rebounds and four assists while Grant Williams chipped in with 18 points, six rebounds and seven assists. As a team, the Hornets shot 59 percent from the field and 15 of 30 from the 3-point line as they jumped all over the Magic from the start, exploding for 38 points in the first quarter to take an early 19-point lead which was more than enough to hold off a fourth quarter charge from the Magic.
Charlotte Hornets Player Facts
- Miles Bridges ranks 14th in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for points per game (21.4) this season.
- Brandon Miller ranks 11th amongst qualified Forwards for three-pointers made Per Game (2.5) this season.
Oklahoma City Thunder Player Facts
- Chet Holmgren rank 3rd in the league for total steals + blocks (228) this season.
- Josh Giddey ranks 8th amongst qualified Guards for rebounds per game (6.3) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Hornets rank 30th in the league for point differential per game this season (-10.2).
- The Hornets rank 30th in the league for rebounds per game this season (40.5).
- The Thunder rank 1st in the league for blocks per game this season (6.6).
- The Thunder rank 1st in the league for opponent turnovers per game this season (15.6).
Thunder vs Hornets prediction
The Thunder are still shorthanded for this one with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still out and Gordon Hayward listed as questionable, while the Hornets don't have any players on their injury report. The Thunder haven't really been able to maintain their momentum once Gilgeous-Alexander went down. The Thunder still have more than enough firepower to bounce back against this slumping Hornets team, who were looking terrible before their surprising win over the Magic in their last outing. Perhaps the Hornets can hang around in this contest, but the Thunder are still the better team, and I think they can get the much-needed win here to get themselves back on track.
Peter’s Pick Oklahoma City -8.5
AUTHOR: Peter Tran
