Charlotte Hornets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Predictions, Picks and NBA Preview – November 13, 2016

Where: Quicken Loans Arena — Cleveland, Ohio

When: Sunday, November 13, 2016, 4:30 PM ET

Line: Charlotte Hornets (+8) at Cleveland Cavaliers (-8); total 209.0 – view all NBA lines

Writer’s Pick: Charlotte Hornets (+8)

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Betting on the Charlotte Hornets (+8)

Charlotte’s four-game win streak came to an end on Friday, but the Hornets didn’t give it up without a fight. Kemba Walker had 40 points in a losing effort as the Hornets fell 113-111 to the Toronto Raptors. Despite the loss, the Hornets are still having a great start to the season. They are 6-2 (5-3 against the spread), tied for 2nd in the East.

Walker has been playing at an All-Star level to start the year. He’s averaging a career-high 26 points, while shooting a blistering 49 percent from the field and 46 percent from beyond the arc (also career-best marks). He’s leading a Hornets offense which is currently ranked No. 10 in offensive rating.

However, defense remains the team’s bread and butter. Their 98.0 defensive rating is ranked No. 3 in the NBA, behind only the Clippers and Hawks. Three-point defense has been a huge reason for the Hornets’ defensive success. They are holding opponents to just 31 percent from beyond the arc, second-best in the league. That ability to defend the three-point line will be crucial against the Cavs, who are leading the league with 13 made threes per game.

Betting on the Cleveland Cavaliers (-8)

The Cavs bounced back well from their first loss of the season against Atlanta as they beat the struggling Washington Wizards, 105-94, on Friday. Cleveland improves to 7-1, one game ahead of Charlotte, Toronto, and Atlanta in the East standings. The Cavs haven’t been too good at covering the spread this season, though. They’re just 3-5 ATS in their first eight games.

Cleveland’s Big Three of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love, has been playing at a very high level. James is averaging a near-triple-double (23 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists); Irving is averaging a career-high 24.5 points and hitting nearly three 3-pointers per game; and Love is almost back to his 20-10 production. As a result, the Cavs own the second-best offensive rating in the league behind only the Warriors.

As if those three weren’t enough of an advantage, the Cavs’ home-court advantage has been incredibly effective against the Charlotte franchise. Cleveland is 17-3 in its last 20 home games, and is 7-3 against the spread in its last 10 against the Bobcats/Hornets.

Writer’s Prediction

The Hornets (+8) keep it close and cover against the Cavs.

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