Hornets vs. Hawks Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Wednesday, March 12

The Atlanta Hawks are inching closer to .500 on the season, and they have a 1.5-game cushion for the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference entering Wednesday’s matchup with the Charlotte Hornets.

Atlanta knocked off the Indiana Pacers twice and the Philadelphia 76ers over its last three games, and now it’s heavily favored at home against a Charlotte team that has been hard to figure out recently.

After losing several games in a row, the Hornets have won back-to-back games, upsetting the Miami Heat on Monday night. Charlotte is just 2-8 in its last 10 games, and it has the worst net rating in the NBA (-17.4) over that stretch.

So, it’s not a surprise that the Hornets are underdogs in this matchup, but can the Hawks cover the spread with LaMelo Ball and company showing some signs of life in March?

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, players to watch in the prop market and my prediction on Wednesday.

Hornets vs. Hawks Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

Hornets +8.5 (-112)
Hawks -8.5 (-108)

Moneyline

Hornets: +270
Hawks: -340

Total

235.5 (Over -108/Under -112)

Hornets vs. Hawks How to Watch

Date: Wednesday, March 12
Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
Venue: State Farm Arena
How to Watch (TV): Bally Sports (Local), NBA League Pass
Hornets record: 16-48
Hawks record: 31-34

Hornets vs. Hawks Injury Reports

Hornets Injury Report

Tre Mann – out
Brandon Miller – out
Jusuf Nurkic – questionable
Grant Williams – out
KJ Simpson – out
Josh Okogie – out
Tidjane Salaun – out

Hawks Injury Report

Kobe Bufkin – out
Jalen Johnson – out
Caris LeVert – questionable
Trae Young – questionable
Larry Nance Jr. – out
Daeqwon Plowden – out
Jacob Toppin – out

Hornets vs. Hawks Best NBA Prop Bets

Charlotte Hornets Best NBA Prop Bet

Mark Williams Double-Double (-140)

Mark Williams has picked up a double-double in five of his last six games, and he’s averaging 18.3 points and 11.8 rebounds per game over that stretch.

This could be a big game overall for Williams against a Hawks team that ranks 25th in opponent points in the paint per game and 15th in opponent rebounds per game.

Atlanta Hawks Best NBA Prop Bet

Trae Young UNDER 2.5 3-Pointers Made (+124)

I’m fading Young on Wednesday night after he missed the Hawks’ last game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

This season, Trae is shooting just 32.5 percent from beyond the arc, and he has a tough matchup against a Charlotte team that ranks third in the NBA in opponent 3-point percentage.

Young has made less than three shots from beyond the arc in six of his last seven games, shooting 18.6 percent from 3 on 6.1 attempts per game. I can’t trust him against one of the better 3-point defenses in the NBA.

Hornets vs. Hawks Prediction and Pick

These teams haven’t played since November, but the Hawks are 2-0 against Charlotte, winning by three and five points in those contests.

Atlanta has struggled when favored at home (5-11 against the spread), and there isn’t much to take away from the first two meetings, as one game combined for 245 points and another combined for just 211.

Despite their recent struggles, the Hornets are still 15-11-1 against the spread as road underdogs this season.

As long as Ball, Mark Williams and Miles Bridges can suit up – all three are off the injury report – I think the Hornets will keep things close against this Atlanta team. The Hawks are 19th in the league in defensive rating and in the bottom five in the league in opponent points per game, so it’s not easy for them to blow teams out.

Pick: Hornets +8.5 (-112 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

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