At 7:00 ET, the Los Angeles Lakers (-552) will take on the Charlotte Hornets (+406) in a non-conference matchup. The Lakers are 9th in the Western Conference with a 26-25 record, while the Hornets are 13th in the Eastern Conference and have lost seven straight.

This game will be played at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte and can be seen on BSSE. The Lakers are favored by 10.5 points and the over/under line is set at 229.5 at Bovada.

Can the Lakers Live Up to the Hype on the Road?

The Lakers have won their last two games as the favorite and are favored by 10.5 points today. This season, they have been favored in 28 of their 51 games and have a 18-10 record in those games. Their ATS record as the favorite is 12-16.

On the season, the Lakers are 23-28 ATS and have covered the spread in their last two games. On the road, they are 11-15 ATS compared to 12-13 ATS at home.

Los Angeles is 9th in the Western Conference with a record of 26-25. In the Pacific Division, they are in 4th place. In their last game, they beat the Knicks by a score of 113-105. The Lakers were 2.5-point underdogs going into the game.

This season, the Lakers have an O/U record of 28-23, and their games have averaged 233.2 points per game. Today’s O/U line is 229.5, and the Lakers have hit the under in their last two games.

When it comes to scoring, the Lakers are 14th in the NBA at 116.1 points per game. However, on the road, they are averaging 115.5 points per contest (15th). So far, they have outscored the league average in 43.1% of their games.

Los Angeles is 6th in the league in pace at 101.1 possessions per game. In terms of field goal percentage, they are 7th overall at 49%. From two-point range, the Lakers are 10th in the NBA (55%), while they are 16th in three-point shooting at 37%.

When it comes to getting to the free-throw line, the Lakers are 7th in attempts at 24.7 per game. They are 8th in both assists (28.1) and true shooting percentage. However, Los Angeles is last in offensive rebounds (8.3 per game).

The Lakers’ defense is presently ranked 18th in the league, allowing an average of 117.1 points per contest. In the terms of takeaways, Lakers are causing 13.5 turnovers per game, ranking 21st in the league. They also enter the matchup ranked 10th in rejections, averaging 5.5 blocked shots each game.

  • Anthony Davis (Questionable) Achilles/Hip
  • LeBron James (Questionable) Ankle
  • Jarred Vanderbilt (Out) Foot
  • Gabe Vincent (Out) Knee
  • Cam Reddish (Out) Ankle

Is an Upset Waiting to Happen at Home?

Charlotte is currently on a seven-game losing streak and has a record of 10-38 this season. In the Eastern Conference, they are in 13th place and 4th in the Southeast Division.

The Hornets’ ATS record for the season is 15-31, and they have gone 7-15 ATS at home. As the underdog, they are 8-36 straight-up and 15-27 vs. the spread.

Charlotte’s O/U record for the season is 25-23, and their games have averaged 228.6 points per game. Today’s O/U line is set at 229.5.

In their last game, the Hornets lost to the Pacers by a score of 115-99. The combined scoring in that game was 214 points, which was well below the O/U line of 237.

Against the spread, the Hornets are 5-19 at home this season, and they have an average scoring differential of -11.5 points per game. As the underdog, their ATS record is 15-27.

At home this season, the Hornets are scoring 107.8 points per game, which ranks 29th in the league. Overall, they are 29th in scoring at 108.3 points per game. In terms of field goal percentage, Charlotte is 28th in the NBA at 45%.

So far, the Hornets have made an average of 11.9 three-pointers per game, which is 22nd in the league. When it comes to free throws, they are last in the NBA in both attempts and makes. In terms of pace, Charlotte is 23rd in the league at 97.9 possessions per game.

When it comes to assists, the Hornets are 26th in the league at 24.8 per game. In terms of offensive rebounds, they are 17th in the NBA. Overall, the Hornets have outscored the league average in just 35.4% of their games this season.

Coming into the game, the Hornets will be looking to improve their defense, as they are currently giving up 120.3 points per game (25th). When it comes to forced turnovers, the Hornets are forcing 13 per game, which is 19th in the league. They also come into the game sitting 19th in blocked shots at 5 per game.

  • Kyle Lowry (Out) Not With Team
  • Gordon Hayward (Out) Calf
  • Frank Ntilikina (Questionable) Hip
  • Cody Martin (Questionable) Knee
  • LaMelo Ball (Out) Ankle
  • Mark Williams (Out) Back

Lakers vs. Hornets Pick

For a point-spread wager in this Lakers vs. Hornets game, we suggest taking the Hornets at +10.5. Even though our predictions have the Lakers winning 117-110, we see the Hornets as the better choice on the point-spread.

Pick: Take the Hornets at +10.5

The Total

As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 229.5, and our model projects the Lakers and Hornets to reach a combined total of 227 points. Our bet is on taking the under.

Pick: Go Under 229.5 points (-110)