Hornets vs Pelicans Prediction NBA Picks 1/17/24

New Orleans Pelicans (24-17) vs Charlotte Hornets (8-29)

Game Info: Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 8:00 pm (Smoothie King Center)

Betting Odds: New Orleans Pelicans -12.5 -- Over/Under: 231

The Charlotte Hornets are riding a 5-game losing streak. The New Orleans Pelicans look to stay hot after winning 7 of their last 10 games. Let’s preview this game and give out a Charlotte Hornets vs New Orleans Pelicans prediction.

Charlotte Hornets Betting Preview

The Charlotte Hornets lost to the Bulls, Kings, Spurs, and Heat during this streak. The Charlotte Hornets are averaging 108.3 points on 45.6 percent shooting and allowing 120.1 points on 49.9 percent shooting. LaMelo Ball is averaging 24.6 points and 5.6 rebounds, while Terry Rozier is averaging 24 points and 3.8 rebounds. Miles Bridges is the third double-digit scorer and Gordon Hayward is grabbing 4.7 rebounds. The Charlotte Hornets are shooting 35.5 percent from beyond the arc and 79.2 percent from the free throw line. The Charlotte Hornets are allowing 39.7 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 41.4 rebounds per game.

Charlotte Hornets Player Facts

• LaMelo Ball ranks 5th amongst qualified players for three-pointers made Per Game (3.4) this season.
• Terry Rozier ranks 5th in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for assists per game (6.8) this season.

New Orleans Pelicans Betting Preview

The New Orleans Pelicans recently lost to the Nuggets and split two games with the Mavericks. The New Orleans Pelicans are averaging 116.5 points on 48.7 percent shooting and allowing 112 points on 46.1 percent shooting. Zion Williamson is averaging 22.2 points and 5.8 rebounds, while Brandon Ingram is averaging 21.4 points and 4.6 rebounds. CJ McCollum is the third double-digit scorer and Jonas Valanciunas is grabbing 9.6 rebounds. The New Orleans Pelicans are shooting 38.1 percent from beyond the arc and 76.6 percent from the free throw line. The New Orleans Pelicans are allowing 34.1 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 44.1 rebounds per game.

New Orleans Pelicans Player Facts

• C.J. McCollum ranks 4th amongst qualified players for three-pointers made Per Game (3.5) this season.
• Herb Jones is one of only five qualified players in the league averaging at least 1.0 threes, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Pelicans rank 1st in the league for opponent steals per game this season (6.3).
• The Pelicans rank 1st in the league for Q2 opponent points per game this season (25.9).
• The Hornets rank 30th in the league for point differential per game this season (-11.8).
• The Hornets rank 30th in the league for opponent three-point percentage this season (39.7%).

Charlotte Hornets vs New Orleans Pelicans prediction

The Charlotte Hornets continue to pile up the losses, they don't play defense and they're not covering numbers. The Hornets are 14-23 ATS on the season, and that's with getting points most nights. The New Orleans Pelicans are playing their best ball of the season, and they've covered 6 of their last 9 games. It's a thick line but it's for a reason. The Hornets and Pelicans are heading in different directions. It's Pels or pass for me. I have no use for the Hornets.

The pick in this article is the opinion of the writer, not a PickDawgz site consensus.