Hornets vs. Kings NBA expert prediction and odds for Tuesday, Jan. 2 (Trust Kings)

The Sacramento Kings are heavily favored on Tuesday night against the Charlotte Hornets, who lost to Denver on Monday by double digits. 

The Hornets have just seven wins on the season, and they come into this game on an 11-game losing streak. 

The Kings, on the other hand, have climbed up to the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference and are an impressive 11-5 at home. 

How should we bet on this lopsided matchup? 

Charlotte Hornets injury report

Sacramento Kings injury report

Charlotte Hornets

Brandon Miller: Rookie Brandon Miller has picked up some of the slack scoring for the Hornets with Ball sidelined with an ankle injury. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft had 15 points against Denver on Monday night and is averaging 14.9 points per game on the season. 

Sacramento Kings

De’Aaron Fox: An All-Star last season, Fox has picked up right where he left off for the Kings, averaging 30.0 points and 6.1 assists per game this season. Fox has really taken a step as a scorer, and he’s going to be tough to handle for a Hornets team that is dead last in the NBA in defensive rating this season. 

Malik Monk: A candidate for Sixth Man of the Year, Monk has been terrific as of late for the Kings, scoring 27 points in just 21 minutes in a blowout win over Memphis on Sunday. Monk is averaging 14.5 points and 5.2 assists per game while shooting a blistering 41.2 percent from beyond the arc. 

Charlotte scored just 93 points in an 18-point loss to Denver on Monday, getting dismantled in the third quarter (40-17) to lose the game. 

While this is a lot of points to lay with the Kings, I’m willing to do it on the second night of a back-to-back for Charlotte. 

The Hornets are 2-2 ATS on the second night of a back-to-back this season, losing those games by an average margin of 21.8 points per game. 

Sacramento’s high-powered offense should feast against this league-worst defense, and with Ball out, the Hornets lack elite scoring options in their rotation. 

I don’t have any interest in betting the Hornets – even at this number – so I’ll take Sacramento to cover at home where it is 7-7 ATS as a home favorite. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.