Two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference collide at Amway Center this evening, as the Kemba Walker-led Charlotte Hornets will look to impose their will against the Orlando Magic. Can Kemba Walker carry his team to a much-needed win? Or will the Magic prevent him from doing so?
Read on below for a full breakdown of this Southeast Division showdown. And if you’re craving for more hoops action, check out our other previews: Mavs vs. Pacers and Suns vs. Warriors.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Charlotte Hornets vs. Orlando Magic Betting Preview
Where: Amway Center, Orlando, FL
When: Wednesday, December 16, 2015, 07:00 PM ET
Line: Charlotte Hornets (+1.5) vs. Orlando Magic (-1.5); total: 197.5 – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: FSSW, FSIN
Betting on the Charlotte Hornets (14-9)
[sc:NBA240banner ]Charlotte’s four game-winning streak was snapped on Saturday night thanks to the Boston Celtics, who beat them, 98-93. A double-double output (21 points and 13 assists) from Isaiah Thomas proved to be too much for them to handle. Now, the Hornets will try to redeem themselves from this setback when they travel to Florida for an impending date with the Orlando Magic.
The Hornets, who are tied with the Miami Heat for the top spot in the Southeast Division, will look to the pair of Kemba Walker and Nicola Batum to help them bounce back. The two are the team’s top leading scorers with 18.0 PPG and 17.0 PPG respectively this season. But both could have their work cut out for them opposite an Orlando defense that’s allowing just 98.5 points per game.
If that’s the case, the Hornets need others to step up and carry some of the offensive load. Fortunately, they have Jeremy Lin and Jeremy Lamb, who are averaging 22.7 points combined off the bench, to rely on for some points. This bench duo has been a big reason as to why Charlotte’s having a surprisingly good start to their 2015-16 campaign
Meanwhile, communication will be a key factor to their success as well. Center Nikola Vucevic is bound to attract double teams especially with Al Jefferson still out, and so the onus is on the Hornets’ defense to make sure that they make the right switches and immediately cover all of Orlando’s spot-up shooters.
Charlotte is 4-6 SU and 7-3 ATS in its last 10 road games.
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Betting on the Orlando Magic (13-11)
After losing their last two games, the Orlando Magic wanted to make sure to garner some momentum before their marquee matchup with the Charlotte Hornets. They did just that with a 23-point win over the lowly Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center Monday night.
In that game, Nikola Vucevic imposed his presence down the paint with a game-high of 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting, eight rebounds and four assists. But he might need to work harder for his points later tonight against the Hornets, who are the third-best team in the league when it comes defending the paint (38.3 points allowed per game).
Well, on the bright side, the Magic still have the pair of scoring threats in Tobias Harris and Evan Fournier to depend on. Both forwards are posting almost 15 points per game this season. Harris, in particular, has played even better at home with averages of 16.5 PPG and 8.1 RPG across 11 games.
Also, their shooting guard in Victor Oladipo could be the difference-maker in this game. Oladipo owns a pretty solid track record against the Hornets with 15.1 PPG and 3.8 APG while shooting the ball at a respectable rate of 45.5 percent.
Orlando is 7-3 and 6-4 ATS in its last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Orlando (-1.5) wins a thriller, 99-97. Create a betting account now and put your NBA predictions to the test!
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