The Cleveland Cavaliers (52-10) will visit the Charlotte Hornets (14-47) in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game will broadcast live on NBA League Pass.
The Cavaliers are 16-point favorites over the Hornets on the spread (Cavaliers -16), with the over/under set at 235.5 total points. Cleveland is a -1350 favorite to win outright, while Charlotte is +800 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Cavaliers vs. Hornets predictions and NBA picks for Friday, March 7.
Cavaliers vs Hornets Prediction
Over/Under
My Hornets vs. Cavaliers best bet is on Charlotte to stay under its team total of 108.5 points, with the best line currently available at DraftKings. As always, be sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
Spread
I will not be betting on Cleveland to cover the spread as a solo bet. However, we will be parlaying Cavaliers -16 with the Hornets Team Total Under to form our same game parlay for tonight.
My Pick: Hornets Under 108.5 Points
Cavaliers vs Hornets Odds, Lines, Picks
| Cavaliers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-16 -110 | 235.5 -110o / -110u | -1350 |
| Hornets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+16 -110 | 235.5 -110o / -110u | +800 |
- Cavaliers vs. Hornets spread: Cavaliers -16
- Cavaliers vs. Hornets over/under: 235.5 total points
- Cavaliers vs. Hornets moneyline: Cavaliers -1350, Hornets +800
- Cavaliers vs. Hornets best bet:Hornets Under 108.5 Points (-110)
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Charlotte Hornets NBA Friday Preview
The Hornets have been good to us. We comfortably hit this at 107.5 on Monday against Golden State. Charlotte did manage 110 points on Wednesday against Minnesota, their best game in a couple weeks, but the Timberwolves were without defensive anchor Rudy Gobert.
This should be a much tougher spot for them.
The Hornets are 29th in offensive rating (106.4) and points per game (105.2) on the season. Over the past 10 games, they're down to an ugly 97.4 offensive rating. Toronto is 29th at 105.8.
The Hornets are averaging 97.6 PPG in that stretch. Brooklyn is 29th at 104.7 PPG. There's a remarkable gap between Charlotte and the rest of the league on offense right now.
The Cavaliers are 7th in defensive rating and 10th in points allowed per game on the season. They're up to 4th and 5th, respectively, over the past 10 games.
The Cavs have played faster under Kenny Atkinson, ranking top 10 in pace on the season. They've slipped to the middle of the pack as the year has gone on. Cleveland is 15th in pace over the past 10 games.
The Hornets have exceeded this line just twice in their last 12 games. They've averaged 107 PPG in 3 games against the Cavs this season, though their roster was much healthier in the earlier meetings.
Cavaliers vs Hornets Best Bet
- Hornets Under 108.5 Points (-110)
Cavaliers vs Hornets Parlay Predictions
If we don't lay the points with the Cavaliers, and the result goes their way (as we expect), we are going to be kicking ourselves over not backing them tonight.
On the surface, this looks too easy, but sometimes the surface tells the story. Sure, -17 is a big spread, but Charlotte is in a debilitating 8-game slump, just 1-7 ATS during that span (the cover came vs. a depleted Dallas team), and the offense scoring beyond 101 points just once in those 8 games. All but one of the losses have come by double-digit margins as well.
Kenny Atkinson might be prompted to take his foot off of the accelerator a bit here, but the Cavs have a ruthlessness about them in this 12-game win streak, exhibited many times, including a recent 122-82 mauling of the Magic in Orlando.
Donovan Mitchell has also tapped a rich vein of form, scoring at a 32 PPG-clip in his last three outings. Play Cavs.
Pick: Cavaliers -16 (-110)
Hornets vs Cavaliers Parlay Picks
- Hornets Team Total Under 108.5
- Cavaliers -16
Parlay Payout: +158
Cavaliers vs. Hornets Betting Trends
