Hornets vs. Mavericks Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Thursday, Jan. 29

The Charlotte Hornets are one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now, ranking first in the league in net rating over their last 15 games.

LaMelo Ball and company picked up a win against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night, and they find themselves as road favorites against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. Dallas is also playing a back-to-back in this game, as it lost against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.

Cooper Flagg (ankle) did not play in that game, and his status for the second night of a back-to-back is up in the air.

This is a battle between two of the best rookies in the league (if they play) as Flagg and his former college teammate Kon Knueppel are the top two players in the latest Rookie of the Year odds.

Dallas has been a solid team at home this season, going 14-13 overall. Can it cover against this surging Charlotte squad?

Let’s take a look at the latest odds, a player to bet on in the prop market and my prediction for Thursday’s contest.

Hornets vs. Mavericks Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Hornets -4.5 (-108)
Mavericks +4.5 (-112)

Moneyline

Hornets: -175
Mavericks: +145

Total

226.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Hornets vs. Mavericks How to Watch

Date: Thursday, Jan. 29
Time: 8:30 p.m. EST
Venue: American Airlines Center
How to Watch (TV): FanDuel Sports Network (Local)
Hornets record: 20-28
Mavs record: 19-28

Hornets vs. Mavericks Injury Reports

Hornets Injury Report

Not submitted yet

Mavericks Injury Report

Not submitted yet

Hornets vs. Mavericks Best NBA Prop Bets

Mavericks Best NBA Prop Bet

Cooper Flagg OVER 18.5 Points (-125)

Dallas may be short-handed on the second night of a back-to-back after veterans like P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall and Caleb Martin all played on Wednesday. There's a chance all of those guys still suit up, but I think Flagg has a chance to lead this offense regardless on Thursday.

Charlotte has been playing well as of late, ranking first in the NBA in net rating over its last 10 games, but it is just 19th in defensive rating overall this season.

Flagg, who is averaging nearly 19 points per game, may be worth a look as a scorer, as he's taking 15.1 shots per game this month and has four 20-point games during that stretch. Overall, Flagg has 19 or more points in 20 of his 43 appearances.

With Davis out, the Mavericks are relying on Flagg to be the 1A in the offense more often than not, and that usage should be enough for him to be right around his season average on Thursday.

Hornets vs. Mavericks Prediction and Pick

Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why I like the Hornets to win this game outright:

Both the Charlotte Hornets and Dallas Mavericks are playing the second night of a back-to-back on Thursday, but I lean with the Hornets to win this matchup on the road.

Charlotte is a 4.5-point favorite, but I’m going to stick with a moneyline bet since both teams have some players up in the air for this game, especially after Cooper Flagg missed Wednesday’s game for Dallas.

The Hornets are 9-1 against the spread on the second night of a back-to-back this season, and they are No. 1 in the NBA in net rating over their last 10 games. Charlotte is 7-3 over that stretch and has won four games in a row, making a serious push for a play-in spot in the East.

Meanwhile, Dallas is just 22nd in net rating this season and may be better off tanking for a top draft pick with Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II both injured. The Mavs are over .500 at home this season, but they’re coming off a double-digit loss to Minnesota last night.

I think Charlotte remains hot and picks up a road win on Thursday.

Pick: Hornets Moneyline (-175 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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