The Charlotte Hornets (11-13) welcome the Houston Rockets (11-11) on Monday evening in the first tip of the evening on the NBA schedule. This is the first scheduled matchup between the teams in 2020-21. The Hornets are on the second night of a back-to-back after defeating the Washington Wizards on Sunday, while the Rockets are on the first of back-to-back games. Standout center Christian Wood (ankle) is out of action for Houston. The Rockets will also rest John Wall and Eric Gordon. Devonte’ Graham (groin) is out for Charlotte.
Here’s how you can watch the game.
Rockets at Hornets: Odds, spread and lines
- Money line: Rockets -120 (bet $120 to win $100) | Hornets +100 (bet $100 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Rockets -1.5 (-110) | Hornets +1.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 219.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Tip-off is at 7 p.m. ET at the Spectrum Center. The latest Rockets vs. Hornets odds from William Hill Sportsbook list Houston as a 1.5-point road favorite. The over-under is down to 219 after opening at 220.5. Before making any Hornets vs. Rockets picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and it returned over $5,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks last season. The model is up nearly $8,100 over the past two-plus seasons. Dating back to last season, it is also on a stunning 73-44 roll on top-rated picks against the spread. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Rockets vs. Hornets. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Hornets vs. Rockets:
Rockets vs. Hornets spread: Rockets -1.5
Rockets vs. Hornets over-under: 219 points
Rockets vs. Hornets money line: Rockets -120; Hornets +100
HOU: The Rockets are 6-4 against the spread in the last 10 games
CLT: The Hornets are 5-5 against the spread in the last 10 games
Latest Odds: Charlotte Hornets +2
Why the Rockets can cover
Former NBA All-Star Victor Oladipo leads the way with 19.4 points and 5.1 assists per game, and he provides a primary scoring option. Elsewhere, DeMarcus Cousins has been effective when playing extra minutes in place of Wood. He scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds during Saturday’s start.
From there, Houston can take advantage of a Charlotte team with some defined weaknesses, including below-average marks in both offensive and defensive efficiency. The Rockets are playing lights-out defense and, on the offensive side, Houston should be able to make inroads against a Hornets team that ranks second-worst in the NBA in defensive rebound rate.
Why the Hornets can cover
Charlotte’s marquee offseason addition, Gordon Hayward, is making a big impact, averaging 23.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. The Hornets are also leading the NBA in assist rate (69.9 percent), with a top-five mark in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.95) and an above-average offensive rebound rate (27.9 percent).
On the defensive side, Charlotte is No. 5 in the NBA in turnover creation rate, forcing a giveaway on 15.9 percent of possessions, and the Hornets are above-average in keeping opponents off the free throw line. The Hornets can also take solace in Houston’s weaknesses offensively, with the Rockets scoring only 108.5 points per 100 possessions with bottom-tier marks in ball security and offensive rebounding. Houston could struggle even more with Wall, Gordon and Wood all out in this matchup.
How to make Hornets vs. Rockets picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, with the simulations projecting 213 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 70 percent of simulations. You can get that pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Hornets vs. Rockets? And which side of the spread hits in almost 70 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks.
