The Charlotte Hornets (32-32) will visit the Phoenix Suns (36-27) in the NBA on Sunday night. Tipoff from the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona is set for 10:00 p.m. ET on Peacock.
The Hornets are 4.5-point favorites over the Suns on the spread (Hornets -4.5), with the over/under set at 217.5 total points. Charlotte is a -192 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Phoenix is +160 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Hornets vs. Suns predictions and NBA picks for Sunday, March 8.
Hornets vs Suns Prediction, Picks
Hornets vs Suns pick: Moussa Diabate Under 20.5 Points & Rebounds (-125)
My Suns vs. Hornets best bet is on Moussa Diabate to combine for under 20.5 points and rebounds. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Charlotte Hornets vs Phoenix Suns Odds
| Hornets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -112 | 217.5 -115o / -105u | -192 |
| Suns Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -108 | 217.5 -115o / -105u | +160 |
Hornets vs Suns NBA Sunday Preview
After suffering their first loss in seven games, the Hornets hit the road for a four-game West Coast trip, beginning in Phoenix, to take on the Suns.
Charlotte has been the best team in the league over the last seven weeks, posting a 16-4 record to climb to No. 10 in the Eastern Conference.
Although the Hornets enjoy a four-game lead over the Bucks for the final play-in spot, a finish in the top six isn't completely out of reach as Charlotte sits just three games behind the Magic.
While you might question the validity of this Hornets' (32-32) recent success, it might surprise you to know that, according to the Pythagorean Expectation metric, their Expected Win-Loss record should be closer to 40-24.
Charlotte has the fourth-best Offensive Rating (117.8), and its overall Net Rating (3.7) puts it 10th in the league.
In other words, this is a team with a lot of steam that's heading down the tracks, and one that bettors would be wise to avoid fading at the risk of getting run over.
If we turn to the Suns (36-27), despite dealing with extended injuries to two key players, Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks. As the team's top two leading scorers, both players have already combined to miss 29 games this season.
Though Booker recently returned after a stint on the sidelines, the Suns don't expect Brooks to rejoin the team until the end of March.
One player who's trying to make up for lost time is Suns guard Jalen Green.
Green joined the Suns as part of the trade involving Kevin Durant's departure to Houston. However, injuries have limited Green to just 15 appearances this season, making his return somewhat akin to a new signing at the trade deadline.
When you look at this Suns team with the full complement of their parts, it's possible to see that they're somewhat undervalued. Phoenix is 18-14 (56.3%) against the spread this season as a dog, improving to 64.3% (9-5) when at home.
Yet, despite those impressive returns, we must be careful not to overlook the Hornets' 7-3 (70%) mark against the spread as an away favorite.
Hornets vs Suns Betting Predictions
Instead of settling on a side in this matchup, a better option might be to target a player prop that's more in line with how the game could play out.
The Suns (25th) and Hornets (26th) rank in the bottom six for pace in the league, averaging fewer than 98.5 possessions per 48 minutes.
Moreover, Phoenix has the 10th-best defense with a 112.5 Efficiency Rating.
Points in the paint are particularly hard to come by, with Phoenix sitting 11th and allowing 48.7 per game.
Hornets' forward Moussa Diabate has seen his production increase in his second year with Charlotte, improving his scoring from 5.7 to 8.4 points and his rebounding from 6.2 to 8.8.
However, his points & rebounds prop of 20.5 feels somewhat inflated after clearing this line in two of his last five games.
A closer look reveals Diabate has failed to cover this line in 15 of his last 19 games when facing a top-10 defense for points allowed.
He has stayed under this number in seven of his last 10 games and in 68% of his appearances this season.
Given the potential for fewer scoring opportunities in this contest, Diabate is an excellent candidate to fall short of his points + rebounds prop.
Hornets vs Suns Best Bet
- Moussa Diabate Under 20.5 Points & Rebounds (-125)
Hornets vs Suns Betting Trends
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