Charlotte Hornets vs Los Angeles Lakers Player Prop Picks 2/19/25 NBA Picks

The Los Angeles Lakers (32-20) are set to host the Charlotte Hornets (13-39) on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 7:00 PM PST at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Lakers are currently on a seven-game home winning streak, while the Hornets are aiming to break a three-game losing streak.

This Laker team has been bolstered by the recent acquisition of Luka Dončić, who joined the Lakers following a trade with the Dallas Mavericks. Despite dealing with a calf injury that sidelined him for over six weeks, Dončić has made an immediate impact, contributing 14 points in his debut and 16 points in his second game with the team. LeBron James, who missed the All-Star Game due to left foot and ankle issues, is expected to return for this matchup, aiming to strengthen the Lakers’ playoff positioning.

The Hornets have faced challenges throughout the season, currently on a three-game losing streak and having lost four consecutive road games. Their recent performances highlight the need for improved offensive and defensive strategies to compete effectively against higher-ranked teams.

Austin Reaves Over 4.5 Rebounds

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves has been contributing an average of 4.4 rebounds per game over 47 games this NBA season. Reaves’ rebounding performance has been consistent, with a season-high of 9 rebounds in a game against the Golden State Warriors on January 25, 2025. 

We’ve seen Austin Reeves rebounding numbers increase as the season has gone on, especially as of late. He’s secured five or more rebounds and nine of his last 10 games. With Anthony Davis departing this Lakers team is running small right now which gives more rebounding opportunities to guys like Austin Reaves. The Hornets are also giving up 53.2 rebounds per game to opposing teams which is well above the league average. I expect Austin Reaves to continue to have success on the glass in this one. 

LaMelo Ball Over 6.5 Assists

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has played 33 games this NBA season, averaging 7.2 assists per game. Ball’s playmaking has been pivotal to the Hornets’ offensive strategies, facilitating scoring opportunities for his teammates. Notably, on January 25, 2025, he recorded a season-high 14 assists in a game against the Golden State Warriors. However, Ball has faced injury challenges this season, including a sprained left ankle that caused him to miss five games between late January and early February but it looks like he’ll be good to go in this one.

Lamelo Ball’s assist numbers have been a bit inconsistent as of late but if his team wants to have any success in the back half of this season he will need to be a playmaker. With this Hornets team dealing with a handful of injuries Lamelo Ball garners a lot of attention from defenses which opens things up for other scorers on this Charlotte team. We’ve seen the Lakers play in a ton of high-scoring contests this season and they’re allowing 27.6 assists per game to opposing teams which is above the league average. This should be a good spot for Lamelo to have a good night facilitating the ball. 

Lebron James Under 23.5 Points

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is averaging 24.3 points per game in the 2024-25 NBA season, ranking him 16th in the league. James’ scoring efficiency remains notable, with a field goal percentage of 51.6%, tying him for 30th in the league. However, James has recently been managing discomfort in his left foot and ankle, leading to his absence from the NBA All-Star Game on February 17, 2025. Despite these challenges, he continues to be a pivotal contributor to the Lakers’ offense.

With LeBron James dealing with this ankle injury I’m not looking to touch his overs in this matchup. I wouldn’t be surprised if he will be on restricted minutes especially playing a team like Charlotte who the Lakers should handle even without LeBron playing a full workload. When we look at the Hornet’s past few games there have been a lot of lower-scoring games due to their slow play style. This isn’t the type of spot LeBron James will have a big night scoring the ball.