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- What: NBA Regular Season Game
- When: November 21, 2024
- Who: Detroit Pistons vs. Charlotte Hornets
- Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
- Where: Spectrum Center (Charlotte, NC)
Eastern Conference teams are still vying for positioning as the Detroit Pistons take on the Charlotte Hornets in a Thursday night showdown.
The last time these teams met was on November 6th, when the Hornets won by a narrow one-point margin at home.
The Pistons recently lost on their home court to the Bulls on Monday, falling 122-112 despite being 4.5-point favorites.
On Tuesday, the Hornets competed in the NBA Cup, but they were edged out by the Nets on the road, finishing with a score of 116-115.
Before we examine our picks, be sure to check out the best NBA Basketball Betting Sites.
Game Preview (Pistons vs. Hornets)
The Eastern Conference has been relatively weak this season, and the Detroit Pistons are making the most of it.
| Spread |  |  |  |
| Detroit Pistons +1 Point | -115 | -115 | -105 |
| Charlotte Hornets -1 Point | -105 | -105 | -115 |
After finishing with the worst record in the league last year, they’ve already secured seven victories this season and currently sit second in the Central Division, trailing only the Cavaliers.
This positions them 7th in the East, with only four teams boasting winning records in the conference.
Cade ➡️ JD with the lob pic.twitter.com/Vk9DCDDedM
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) November 19, 2024
Recently, Detroit faced a tough defeat at home against the Bulls, losing by ten points despite Cade Cunningham’s impressive performance, which included 26 points and 10 assists.
On the other hand, the Charlotte Hornets have recently experienced a downturn in performance, losing four of their last five games.
All five matchups were against Eastern Conference teams. The team lost to the 76ers, Magic, and Cavaliers, but it managed to secure a victory against the Bucks, where LaMelo Ball scored 26 points.
On the bright side, Charlotte is starting to regain its health, as LaMelo is now fully healthy for the season, and they’ve welcomed Miles Bridges back.
However, translating this improved health into victories remains a challenge. In their latest game, the Hornets fell just short against the Nets, losing by a single point. Brandon Miller led the team with an impressive 29 points, including five three-pointers.
This feels like the perfect opportunity to fade the Hornets. The Pistons have been the better team this season, so I’m backing them on the road in this one.
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Total Points
Let’s examine the total points prop in this matchup.
| Total Points | | | |
| Over 220.5 | -105 | -110 | -105 |
| Under 220.5 | -115 | -110 | -115 |
Detroit is performing well on defense, allowing opponents to shoot below 46 percent against them while minimizing fouls. In their last three games, the Pistons have kept their opponents under 110 points per game.
They need to maintain their strong defensive effort to succeed on Thursday night. Since the Hornets rely heavily on LaMelo Ball for scoring, Detroit has a solid opportunity to limit their points.
If the Pistons can keep up this defensive intensity, they should be able to restrict the Hornet’s offense.
The Charlotte Hornets score an average of 109.1 points per game with a shooting percentage of 43.1%. Defensively, they are giving up 114.1 points on 47.6% shooting.
LaMelo Ball leads the team with an average of 28.4 points and 4.8 rebounds, while Brandon Miller contributes 16.7 points and 4.1 rebounds.
Miles Bridges rounds out the double-digit scorers, and Tre Mann contributes with 3 rebounds per game.
Team Hive Stats 📊@brandmillerr: 29 PTS, 3 REB, 4 AST, 3 STL@milesbridges: 21 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST@tre2mann3: 19 PTS, 3 REB, 6 AST@Grant2Will: 16 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST pic.twitter.com/8ex8mcc6gi
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) November 20, 2024
The Hornets hit 36.5% of their three-point attempts from long range and shoot 79.4% from the free-throw line. Defensively, they allow opponents to shoot 35.4% from three and collect 46.1 rebounds per game.
Each of the last seven games between the Pistons and Hornets has gone Under the total points line. Additionally, in nine of their last ten away games, the Pistons have also seen the total points go Under the line.
Both of these teams have problems scoring when they match up. I’m sticking with the trend and backing Under 220.5 points.
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