The Hornets scoring trio will be too much for the Rockets
Happy Wednesday sports fans, it's Chris Bengel back with you.
The NFL postseason continues this weekend with the Divisional Round taking place and there are some extremely intriguing matchups. The one with the smallest spread is the one that I think should be the largest. The 49ers are just a four-point favorite over the Cowboys. I get that the Cowboys have had an impressive season, but I'm not putting much stock in their drubbing of the Buccaneers this past Monday night. After all, the 49ers are clicking on all cylinders with Brock Purdy at the helm and I also don't see Dak Prescott having a ton of success against San Francisco's defense.
The pigskin can wait for a few more days. Let's dive into Wednesday's picks, which have a hoops flavor!
�� The Hot Ticket
Hornets at Rockets, 8 p.m. | TV: NBA.TV
Latest Odds:Charlotte Hornets-3- Key Trend: The Rockets are 3-13-1 ATS in their last 17 games
- The Pick: Hornets -2.5 (-110)
I can hear you groaning from here, but let's not pretend that we're above betting on a game between two teams that have 21 combined wins on the season. The Rockets have been absolutely brutal all season and with a small spread like this, we're going to take advantage of it.
The Hornets haven't been the most consistent team in the world either, but I have a lot more confidence in their ability to score the basketball. Despite being on a five-game losing streak, the Hornets have still managed to average 113.8 points per contest and are fresh off of giving the Celtics a run for their money on Monday in a 130-118. The Celtics needed a 51-point explosion from Jayson Tatum in order to hold off the Hornets in the second half. This is a team that has three players that average at least 20 points per game in LaMelo Ball (24.0), Terry Rozier (20.8), and Kelly Oubre Jr. (20.2).
Jonathan Coachman is joined by Mike McClure, Larry Hartstein and Jon "Buckets" Eimer to dish out Wednesday's best bets. Download and follow The Early Edge on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
This rotation can hang a ton of points on just about any team. As for the Rockets, they allow teams to score 117.5 points per game (25th in the NBA) while struggling to score on the offensive end. Bet the small number with the Hornets.
�� More NBA Picks
Kings at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. | TV: NBA.TV
The Pick: Over 245 (-110) -- I get it, this is an extremely lofty point total. Still, we're talking about two teams that don't defend very well while they do put the ball in the basket at an alarming rate.
In terms of offense, the Kings lead the NBA with 120.0 points per game while shooting 36.9 percent from three (10th in the league). Meanwhile, the Lakers aren't far behind as they average 117.0 PPG (7th in the NBA). Los Angeles doesn't shoot nearly as well from beyond the arc at a 33.8 percent clip, but can still knock down their fair share of shots.
Those offenses will be going up against defenses that rank among the league's worst. The Kings rank 24th in points allowed (117.0) in the NBA while the Lakers are even worse as they come in at No. 27 with 118.1 points allowed per game. The Over has hit in each of Sacramento's last five games, while the Over is 12-4 in Lakers games where Los Angeles has one day of rest. This seems like a ridiculous amount of points, but considering the lack of defense that will be played, it should have no problem clearing for us.
Key Trend: The over is 5-0 in the last five meetings between the Kings and Lakers
Pacers at Thunder, 8 p.m. | TV: TNT
The Pick: Josh Giddey Over 18.5 points (-103) -- The Thunder have been playing some terrific basketball over the last month and the team's young backcourt is one of the biggest reasons for that. Josh Giddey has taken a huge step in his second professional season and been one of Oklahoma City's biggest point producers.
Giddey has scored at least 19 points in four of his last six contests. The former first round pick has scored at least 20 points in each of his last three games. Giddey is also shooting 37.5 percent from beyond the arc during the month of January and connected on multiple threes in four of his last eight games to boost his scoring numbers. Since the Pacers rank 22nd in points allowed, there should be plenty of opportunities for Giddey to get into the scoring column in this one.
Key Trend: Giddey has scored at least 19 points in four of his last six games
