The Charlotte Hornets have been one of the more surprising teams in the NBA, and can really turn some heads if they can knock off perennial contender the San Antonio Spurs. Charlotte gets this game at home, which is a big help, but San Antonio is playing at a high level once again this year and will be tough to beat.
The Spurs will likely be road favorites behind the duo of Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge. The Hornets are using a solid defense to win games and this one could end up being a low-scoring affair.
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Odds Analysis
The Spurs are 10-3 straight up and 7-5-1 against the spread this season. They are 5-1-1 attempting to cover away from home. San Antonio is used to being the favorite and is 6-5-1 this year in that role. The only time the Spurs have been an underdog this year was in the season opener on the road against the Warriors.
Charlotte has done a nice job exceeding expectations in the earlygoing with an 8-4 straight up record and a 7-4-1 mark against the spread. Charlotte has covered in four of six attempts at home this season.
Player to Watch
Kemba Walker -- The Hornets’ point guard has taken a big step forward in his development this season. Walker is averaging 25.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds this season, making the leap to one of the better scorers in the NBA.
The diminutive point guard had always been a nice piece but has evolved into the go-to guy on offense. One big reason why is his improved three-point shot. Walker has hit XX percent of his shots from downtown this season, which is a big improvement from his career three-point percentage of 33.9.
Walker has played fantastic ball in the earlygoing, and will be the biggest matchup problem for the Spurs. San Antonio has the edge at many of the positions, but Charlotte has the better point guard and will aim to ride him to a victory.
Key Stat
5. Wins in a row for the Spurs, who are once again one of the most talented teams in the NBA. The core has changed, as Leonard, Aldridge and Pau Gasol have taken over as the keys to the team from Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
Duncan is off to retirement, and while Parker and Ginobili are still on the team, they are more complementary pieces now. San Antonio is currently in third place in the West, but close to the Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers. Golden State is the prohibitive favorite to win the conference, with the Spurs their biggest contender.
San Antonio would be well-served to finish with a better regular season record than Golden State to get the all-important home court advantage in the playoffs, but it won’t be easy. Continuing this winning streak would be a step in the right direction.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Hornets have a nice story going and would love to join the upper echelon in the East. They don’t have a ton of star power, but the team is working well together and the breakout performance by Walker has been huge.
The Spurs play standout defense, so this one could end up coming down to how well the Hornets shoot the ball when they have open looks.
Charlotte may have a winning record, but it is not on the same level as the Spurs. Even on the road, San Antonio has plenty of experience to come in and pick up the victory as it tries to stack them in the earlygoing.
NBA Odds: Spurs 97, Hornets 89
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