The Phoenix Suns travel to North Carolina to take on the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night at the Spectrum Center.
Phoenix is 33-29 SU on the season. The Suns are 3.5 games behind the Sacramento Kings for the top spot in the Pacific Division team standings. They are also 4th in the Western Conference team standings and are 10.5 games off the leaders Denver Nuggets. Phoenix is, however, only 5 games off the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies.
Charlotte is 20-43 SU on the season and they are next to last in the Eastern Conference team standings and 13.5 games off the Southeast leaders Miami Heat. The Hornets head to this game with a five-game winning streak but will be without their best player in LaMelo Ball who is out for the season.
The Suns will be looking to bounce back from Sunday’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks with a strong win on Wednesday night. Phoenix expects Kevin Durant to make his Suns’ debut here and he will be a big boost for the Suns’ title aspirations.
KD is averaging 29.7 points per game this season while also grabbing 6.7 boards, and issuing 5.3 assists per game but has not played since January 8th. Devin Booker is putting up 26.5 points per game while also pulling down 4.6 boards and dishing off 5.7 assists per game this year. Booker led the Suns during the loss against Milwaukee with 24 points while Deandre Ayton posted a double-double with 22 points and 10 boards.
Phoenix is just 22nd in scoring at 112.7 points per game this season but will get a massive scoring boost with the addition of Kevin Durant. Meanwhile, the Suns are 5th in scoring defense at only 111.3 points per game conceded.
The Hornets are on a roll right now with five straight wins. Charlotte defeated the Detroit Pistons 117-106 at home in their most recent game on Monday night. Charlotte saw LaMelo Ball drain six three-pointers before suffering an ankle injury that will sideline him for the rest of the season.
In that game, Charlotte raced to a 41-21 lead before getting outscored 60-52 in the second half. Terry Rozier led the team with 22 points while Gordon Hayward added 19 points for Charlotte. Meanwhile, LaMelo and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 18 apiece and Mark Williams posted a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Charlotte is scoring just 112.8 points per game and will be without their top scorer in Ball. The Hornets’ defense is allowing 118.4 points per game this year. Aside for Ball, Charlotte could be without Cody Martin and PJ Washington who are both listed as day-to-day.
The Suns are 6-4 SU in their last 10 games played against the Hornets. Phoenix is 3-1 SU in their last four games played in Charlotte.
Phoenix Suns SU trends:
The Suns are 12-5 SU in their last 17 games played.
The Suns are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games played on the road.
The Suns are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games played against the Eastern Conference.
The Suns are 1-7 SU in their last 8 games played against the Southeast Division.
Charlotte Hornets SU trends:
The Hornets are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games played.
The Hornets are 11-18 SU in their last 29 games played at home.
The Hornets are 7-13 SU in their last 20 games played against the Western Conference.
The Hornets are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games played against the Pacific Division.
This one is going to be a big night for the Suns as they expect Kevin Durant to make his debut on Wednesday night. The Suns made the biggest trade of the year when they acquired KD from the Brooklyn Nets at the trade deadline.
Durant has not played since January 8 with an MCL injury but he has been practicing with the team and has traveled with the Suns during their current four-game road trip. The 13-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA Finals MVP is averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game in 39 games played this season.
Devin Booker has scored at least 20 points in four out of six games played this month after returning from a groin injury that forced him out of action for five weeks. Meanwhile, Josh Okogie has averaged 18.5 points per game in the Suns’ last six games played.
Charlotte had won five straight games and was having their best stretch of the season when LaMelo Ball suffered a right ankle fracture last Monday night. Ball is expected to miss the rest of the season and his injury is a huge blow for the Hornets.
Ball had scored 18 points on six three-pointers before going down with a non-contact injury. He was averaging a team-high 23.3 points per game this season. Without LaMelo, the Hornets are expected to promote Dennis Smith Jr. to the starting point guard position. Smith had 7 assists in their last game against the Pistons.
Terry Rozier will have to take charge of the Hornets. Rozier is averaging 21.4 points per game the season, second-best in Charlotte.
No question, the Hornets are at a disadvantage here without their top scorer. Meanwhile, the Suns are looking to bounce back after losing to the Bucks. With Kevin Durant expected to make his debut here, expect the Suns to play with plenty of confidence.
Prediction: Phoenix Suns
The Suns are 3-0 ATS in their last four games played against the Hornets. Phoenix is also 3-2 ATS in their last 5 games played in Charlotte.
Phoenix Suns ATS trends:
Charlotte Hornets ATS trends:
Suns
-10 (-110)
Hornets
+10(-110)
Odds from BetOnline as of 03/01/2023
Although the Hornets head to Wednesday with a five-game winning streak, they are at a huge disadvantage here.
This is a big spread. But remember that Phoenix will be having Durant’s extra scoring boost here. Meanwhile, the Hornets will be without LaMelo’s 23+ PPG scoring average.
Charlotte is 8-12 ATS this season when underdogs at home. In their last five losses, their average losing margin was 10.2 points per game. Plug in LaMelo’s absence, and the addition of Durant on the side of Phoenix. The Suns defeated the Hornets 128-97 in their most recent meeting last January 24. This one should not be any different.
Prediction: Suns -10
The over is 12-4 in the last 16 games played between these two teams.
Phoenix Suns over/under trends:
Charlotte Hornets over/under trends:
Over
232.5 (-110)
Under
232.5 (-110)
Odds from BetOnline as of 03/01/2023
The Suns will have Kevin Durant and he is worth 30 points per game. However, I don’t expect the transition to be seamless. Even the Suns themselves have said that there will be an adjustment period. And Monty Williams also said that KD will be on a minutes restriction.
Charlotte will be without LaMelo Ball who is their top scorer this season. Without Ball, the Hornets know that they can’t keep up with the Suns’ scoring so they must slow down the game and try to defend as hard as they can to have a chance of winning this game.
The under is 34-29 in the Hornets’ 63 games played this season. The under is also 32-29-1 in the Suns’ 62 games played this year.
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