The Charlotte Hornets (31-31) and Boston Celtics (41-20) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The game will broadcast live on NBCS-BOS.
The Celtics are 6.5-point favorites over the Hornets on the spread (Celtics -6.5), with the over/under set at 213 total points. Boston is a -250 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Charlotte is +205 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Hornets vs. Celtics predictions and NBA picks for Wednesday, March 4.
Hornets vs Celtics Prediction, Picks
- Hornets vs Celtics pick: Hornets +6.5 (-110)
My Celtics vs. Hornets best bet is on Charlotte to cover the spread. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Hornets vs Celtics Odds
| Hornets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6.5 -110 | 213 -110o / -110u | +205 |
| Celtics Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6.5 -110 | 213 -110o / -110u | -250 |
Hornets vs Celtics NBA Preview
Believe it or not, these are the best two teams in net rating since the turn of the calendar. So yes, on a technical level, you could say these are the two best teams for the past two months.
The Hornets' net rating since January 1 is an NBA-best +11.2.
The Celtics are behind them at +10.7. No one else is at or above 10 — the Pistons, in third, are at +9.6, and the Spurs at +8.4.
The ultimate test here: these are two of the best against-the-spread teams in the NBA.
Charlotte is 39-23 ATS, which ranks first in the league; Boston is 36-25, which ranks third.
As joked on Buckets — although it's quite literal — you can't spell Hornets without "no rest," which leads me to again mention that Charlotte — who mauled the Mavericks last night — is one of the best teams on the second of a back-to-back this year at 10-2 ATS in this spot, second only to the 76ers.
Boston, however, is a league-best 9-3 ATS with a rest advantage. Meanwhile, Charlotte is the third-best ATS team with a rest disadvantage at 9-3.
It's worth pointing out that Charlotte is also 14-8 ATS as a road underdog, while Boston is 12-12 ATS as a home favorite. Choose wisely.
Injuries? Almost none.
Jayson Tatum (Achilles) won't make his season debut for Boston yet.
As for Charlotte, Coby White (calf) sat out last night but could play today on the second of a back-to-back. His status will be updated later, so be on the lookout.
Hornets vs Celtics Predictions, Betting Analysis
I'm going with the numbers and what I've seen for the last two months — actually, longer than that.
Boston is good, but Charlotte is legit, and they have excelled in this exact spot all season.
Maybe to counterbalance the universe the Hornets will underperform this time — but I have seen it and bet it too often to steer away from it now.
Boston's defense will be tested by the combination of size and shooting that Charlotte presents with LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, and even the overlooked Miles Bridges at times.
Neemias Queta and Moussa Diabate may cancel each other out, and Coby White will add a dimension to the Hornets' depth that could help them keep up with reigning Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard.
This is the most exciting game on the slate in my opinion, with respect to the Knicks and Thunder.
Pick: Hornets +6.5 (-110)
