At some point, it was kind of expected the Golden State Warriors would put together a run and get into the playoff picture.
Their opponent Friday, the Charlotte Hornets, are making an unlikely run too, as they seek their fifth straight win when they visit San Francisco. Still, they’re whopping 13.5-point underdogs in the NBA odds.
Both teams are playing the second half of a back-to-back, with G-State besting the Lakers, while Charlotte dumped Utah.
Who keeps it rolling post-All-Star break? Read on for my free Hawks vs. Hornets free NBA picks for Friday, February 23.
Hornets vs Warriors odds
Hornets vs Warriors predictions
The Warriors stayed hot coming out of Indiana, drilling the Lakers 128-110, to move to within a half game of the Lakers for ninth in the West.
That makes it nine wins in their 11, and their offense — which already ranks sixth in NBA scoring at 119.7 points per game — has been turned up a notch during this fun run.
The Dubs are averaging a crisp 124.8 points per game, shooting 49.6% from the field and a stellar 40.5% from 3-point range.
Perhaps even more impressive, though, is how the Dubs have allowed 114.6 points per game during this run, shaving nearly four points off their season average.
It should be an intriguing matchup Friday, because the Hornets might have stumbled onto something, after stripping their roster of most of their big-name talent.
Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward, and PJ Washington were all dealt with at the deadline, and new additions Grant Williams, Seth Curry, and Tre Mann have made immediate impacts.
The latest, a 115-107 win out of the All-Star break over the Utah Jazz, extending the Bugs’ season-long win streak to four games.
A team that ranks 24th in scoring defense at 119.2 points per game, the Hornets have held their opponents to 103.5 over this four-game sample, including an impressive 27.8% mark defending the 3-point line on nearly 38 attempts.
How inexplicable is this run? Consider that Charlotte had just three wins in their previous 31 games before this surge — and they’ve done it without LaMelo Ball (ankle), though there’s a chance he suits up against the Dubs Friday. I was surprised to see the Hornets have actually had decent success against the Dubs of late, winning two of the last three and going an impressive 2-0-1 against the spread.
The Warriors aren’t the same wrecking ball at home that they were a season ago, going 15-14 at Chase Center, with an almost even point differential.
That number has only jumped to +2.7 during this recent streak, though it does only consist of four home games.
The Hornets are getting a ton of points, and I’m confident they can play the Dubs tough Friday night, even with G-State picking up the win.
My best bet: Hornets +13 (-110 at DraftKings)
Hornets vs Warriors same-game parlay
Hornets +13 points
Hornets Over 110.5 points
Curry Under 5.5 3-point makes
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This revamped edition of the Hornets is not the same group that averaged a measly 108.8 points and ranked 28th in the NBA.
Yes, their 115.8 average over the last four games may have come against non-resistant defenses like Utah, Atlanta and Indiana, but they also have a win over the Grizzlies, who are a Top-10 scoring defense.
Golden State has tightened it up some, but they’re not built to be defensive stoppers.
Charlotte isn’t dependent on one or two guys to get buckets — it’s had at least five double-digit scorers in each of its last four wins, and has crossed 110.5 points each time.
We’ll finish with an Under that might seem preposterous, especially when we’re targeting Steph Curry 3-point makes.
He’s coming off a 6-for-13 effort from beyond the arc against the Lakers, which seems ho-hum, considering he hit at least seven triples in four of his last five games heading into the All-Star break.
But Steph hasn’t exactly been lighting the Hornets on fire from deep: In his last four games against Charlotte, he has hit exactly three 3-pointers in each game, but at an un-Steph like 26.7% clip. Charlotte’s newfound defense might just be able to hold him down again Friday night.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Hornets vs Warriors spread and Over/Under analysis
Oddsmakers must not believe in the Hornets’ recent success, as the line has stayed at 13.5 points throughout, with just a few books even raising it to 14.
The Warriors are 27-24-2 against the spread this season, which ranks inside the Top 10. Charlotte is just 21-33-0 ATS, but they have covered four straight.
Interesting to note that the Hornets are tied for the second-best cover record on the second night of a back-to-back, going 6-3-0 ATS. The Warriors are just three spots back at 6-4-1.
The total has never gone below 229.5, which is where most books currently sit, and it’s only moved to 230.5.
Charlotte has seen the Over go 28-26-0 in their games this year, but they have hit the Under in four of their last five contests.
Golden State has the sixth-best Over record in the NBA, going 30-23-0.
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Hornets vs Warriors betting trend to know
The Under has gone 8-1-1 in the last 10 head-to-head matchups. Find more NBA betting trends for Hornets vs. Warriors.
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Hornets vs Warriors game info
| Location: | Chase Center, San Francisco, CA |
| Date: | Friday, February 23, 2024 |
| Tip-off: | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | NBC Sports Bay Area, Bally Sports SE-CHA |
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