Hornets vs Celtics Game Preview, Odds, Live Stream, Picks & Predictions
The Charlotte Hornets and Boston Celtics meet for the third time this season with the NBA betting odds favoring Boston to win this rubber match. The road team has won each game. The latest news, stats, and injury report only identify Charlotte’s Gordon Hayward as a significant absence on both sides so can Boston now beat the visiting Hornets at home?
Charlotte Hornets vs Boston Celtics
On the Rise
The Boston Celtics are 17-10 at home but only 12-14-1 against the spread (ATS). As a favorite, they are just 10-14-0 for a 41.7 percent cover rate, far from their best. It comes down to Boston’s style of play: The Celtics are ranked 19th on offense and 25th in pace.

A good chunk of Boston’s offense comes down to isolation plays, plenty of three-point chucking, and not too many fastbreak points. But on defense, the Celtics have been razor-sharp and are ranked fourth while allowing just 104.5 points at home.
If Boston’s defense is on point and its offense is clicking, a blowout is on the menu. The Celtics are seventh in the NBA in net rating and 19-8 in double-digit outcomes. It looks ugly at times, but the Celtics are worth betting online as favorites for these reasons.
Young Hornets Inconsistent
Charlotte Hornets fans should be ecstatic seeing their team five games above .500 and just two games back of the sixth playoff seed. However, a more scrutinizing fan will notice their tendency to either blow teams out or get blown out.
Unlike Boston, Charlotte is just 13-14 in games decided by 10 or more points. This is a team that has blown out the likes of Brooklyn and Minnesota but has also been embarrassed by Sacramento and the Clippers.
That’s likely because Charlotte is a team that plays fast and loose. The Hornets can swarm opponents quickly, but their lack of defense – 26th in defensive rating – can make it difficult on the sports betting lines. Given their talent and potency, they are a good underdog but a shaky favorite.
Charlotte Hornets vs Boston Celtics Head to Head
Charlotte | Stat | Boston |
3-7 | Record | 7-3 |
3-7-0 | Point Spread | 7-3-0 |
6-4-0 | Over/Under | 6-4-0 |
105.2 | Average Score | 116.1 |
53.9 | Half Time | 57.2 |
Charlotte Hornets vs Boston Celtics Game Information
- Date: Wednesday
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: TD Garden
- Charlotte Hornets vs Boston Celtics Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Charlotte Hornets vs Boston Celtics Betting Lines
Charlotte Hornets vs Boston Celtics Prediction
This is a bit of a mirror matchup as we have the high-flying and offense-driven Hornets taking on the slow and defensive-minded Celtics. It depends on which team can assert their game plan to start. Charlotte has a tendency to start slow (-6.6 net rating in the first quarter) and it is just 2-6 ATS in its last eight games against Boston.
As such, we like the more disciplined Celtics to grind down the Hornets to a victory. However, take a look at the Hornets on the live betting lines. Charlotte can score points in a hurry and their +4.0 net rating in the second-half is fifth in the NBA.
Pick: Boston Celtics -5
Four of the Celtics’ last five games have gone under while 15 of their 27 home games have as well. Again, this goes back to their defensive approach. The Hornets can score a lot but have averaged just 107.5 points in its last four road games (if we exclude their 158-point explosion against Indiana), including just 97 against the New York Knicks.