Hornets vs Jazz Picks and Predictions: Lauri Keeps Making All-Star Case

The chasing pack is closing in on the Utah Jazz in the West but they’re clinging onto a play-in spot for now – and a visit from the 13-34 Charlotte Hornets looks like a timely scheduling gift.

Just when it seemed like the wheels were coming off for the Jazz, they’ve gone 4-2 in their last six games behind big nights from Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson. Utah ran into a 48-point outburst from Kyrie Irving on Friday but outdueled the Timberwolves and Clippers earlier in the week.

LaMelo Ball’s ankle injuries have been a central theme for the Hornets this season and he sat out again on Saturday, but Terry Rozier has done his best to fill the void and Charlotte has won back-to-back games after picking up one victory from their previous nine.

Find out more in our free Hornets vs Jazz NBA picks and predictions, setting you up with all the key angles for tonight’s matchup.

Hornets vs Jazz best odds

Hornets vs Jazz picks and predictions

If there was a clearer sense that LaMelo Ball (questionable) might be out or limited tonight, the Terry Rozier props would be mouthwatering as the clear No. 1 option for the Charlotte Hornets. However, I’m sticking with the Utah Jazz and Lauri Markkanen’s ongoing case to make the 2023 All-Star Game.

Utah is firing up 40 threes a game and getting double-digit scoring from all over the roster, but it starts with Markkanen and the leap he's taken this season. At 52% from the field, 43% from beyond the arc, and 87% at the free throw line, he’s knocking on the door of the coveted 50-40-90 club.

With that in mind, I love these NBA odds for a Markkanen double-double tonight. He’s cashed that in for each of his last four games, including a 34-point, 12-rebound game against the Clippers last week, and he’s a matchup nightmare for Charlotte, which would surely prefer to keep Mason Plumlee around the rim.

Instead, P.J. Washington may get the defensive assignment, but that’s a size mismatch whether Markkanen is in the post or shooting over him from the perimeter. 

The big Finn is averaging 25 points a night, so the scoring isn’t in question – and I expect him to be busy on the boards with both teams playing at a fast pace.

The Hornets are attempting the second-most field goals per game but making them at a Bottom-3 rate. In short, they’ll be rebounds up for grabs.

My best bet: Lauri Markkanen to record a double-double (-105)

Hornets vs Jazz spread analysis

The Jazz are favored here as expected on their home court, where they’re 15-9 this season, and they’ve won eight of the last nine matchups against the Hornets. The Markkanen matchup should be a trump card for Utah, while the hosts’ sharpshooting backcourt will get plenty of good looks.

The Hornets are on their way to a high draft pick but can still be a dangerous underdog on any day, as they showed against the Hawks last time out.

Eight of Charlotte’s 13 wins have come on the road and Rozier is on a mini-hot streak after dropping 34 points against Atlanta and 26 points against Houston in wins last week. While Ball is questionable for tonight, Gordon Hayward’s return at the weekend was a welcome boost.

The Hornets are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five road games against teams with a home winning percentage greater than .600, but they don’t have a great record of covering the spread in Utah, where they’re 3-11-1 ATS in their last 15 visits.

Hornets vs Jazz Over/Under analysis

At times, the Hornets appear to treat defense as optional and they rank in the Bottom 3 in points allowed per game. The visitors have given up more than 115 points in each of their last seven games, including 132 points against the Raptors and 130 points against the Celtics.

Combine that with the Jazz’s steady offense (sixth in points per game) and there’s a strong case for the Over, which is 6-1 in Utah’s last seven games against teams with a winning percentage lower than .400. It’s not just Markkanen and Clarkson doing the damage either, with Malik Beasley, Mike Conleym, and Collin Sexton all chipping in as scorers.

The Over has also hit in the Jazz’s last four games after a loss and it’s 5-1 in the Hornets’ last six games after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game (as they did against the Hawks).

Hornets vs Jazz betting trend to know

The Jazz are coming off a loss to the Nets on Friday night and they tend to respond well after losses. Utah has covered the spread in its last four games following a defeat. Find more NBA betting trends for Hornets vs. Jazz.

Hornets vs Jazz game info

Hornets vs Jazz key injuries

Pages related to this topic