Charlotte Hornets vs. Golden State Warriors Pick

Charlotte Hornets (35-40 SU, 35-39-1 ATS) vs. Golden State Warriors (51-24 SU, 31-43-1 ATS)
When: Sunday, March 31st, 2019 – 8:30 PM ET
Where: Oracle Arena– Oakland, CA
TV: FSN

Point Spread: CHA +12 / GS -12 (GtBets)
Total: 229.5

Power Rankings: Golden State -8

Takeaways from Charlotte and Golden State’s Most Recent Games

The Hornets saw a four-game win and cover streak vanquished on Thursday when they were defeated in the City of Angels by the Los Angeles Lakers. Charlotte closed as a two-point road favorite but was nonetheless beaten handily by a score of 129-115. The Hornets remain two games behind the Miami Heat for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Warriors found themselves the victim of an upset bid on Thursday when they were defeated in an overtime thriller by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Closing as a ten-point road favorite, the Warriors were edged out by a score of 131-130. Golden State is 1-3 ATS in their previous four outings. The Warriors remain deadlocked with the Denver Nuggets atop the Western Conference standings for the overall top seed in the playoff field.

How the Public is Betting the Charlotte and Golden State Game

67% of the betting public like the Warriors here laying the double-digit points. Despite the heavy lean at the moment on Golden State, early action seems to have come in on the Hornets. Golden State opened as a 12.5-point favorite and has since diminished by half of a point to its present position.

The Historicals

The Hornets and Warriors have crossed paths just once this season, and that was last month when the W’s ventured to the Queen City to square off with the Hornets in “The Hive”. The Warriors manufactured a win and cover against their counterparts when they defeated Charlotte 121-110 closing as an 8.5-point favorite.

Injury Concerns

Heading into this cross-conference clash neither the Warriors nor Hornets have expressed any injury concerns to key personnel.

Rest Advantages and Concerns

Both teams enter into this contest on two days of rest. For Charlotte, this is their second game on a four-game road trip. Charlotte will head home on Friday to face the Toronto Raptors. Golden State is back home after a two-game road trip that concluded on Thursday against the T-Wolves. The Warriors will be at home for two matches before they are back on the road again to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

Can Charlotte’s Bench Give The Swarm A Fighting Chance?

Charlotte certainly has their work cut out for them taking on the two-time defending champions on their own hardwood. However, Charlotte can hone two distinct advantages to take the fight to the Warriors. Charlotte’s bench averages 42.8 points per contest which is 14 more points on average compared to Golden State’s bench that averages just 28.8 points per match. In addition to this significant edge, the Hornets also own an advantage in the turnover department compared to their counterparts.

Can Golden State Dial Up Their Shooting Game Against Hornet Defense?

The Warriors own the best field goal percentage in the NBA as they hit an incredible 48.8% of their attempts. Golden State has a golden opportunity here against a Charlotte defense that sits 23rd in the NBA in opponent field goal percentage, allowing the opposition to hit 46.8% of their field goals. On the flip-side, Golden State’s defensive prowess in limiting opponent field goal percentage places them third in the league at 44.6%. The Hornets as a whole have struggled mightily in field goal efficiency as they sit 25th overall with a 44.8% success rate. Should Golden State outshoot Charlotte, the Warriors can easily run away with this one.

Betting Trends

A trend emerging between the Hornets and Warriors is for those that play the Over/Under. The Under is 5-1 ATS in the previous six meetings between these two teams. On another note, Charlotte is 1-3-1 ATS in the last five contests between both sides.

Keith’s Pick to Cover the Spread: Charlotte +12

It is a point in the season now with just seven games left where Charlotte can simply not afford to lose any more games if they want to sneak into that eighth spot in the Eastern Conference bracket. If Charlotte is going to try to pull off the win to keep their playoff hopes afloat, they will need all the help they can get here venturing into one of the most hostile environments in all the NBA. At home, Golden State sits at 26-11 SU on the year, but they only outscore opponents by an average of 4.8 points per outing. Contrarily, Charlotte has had a lot of problems on the road this season with an 11-25 SU away record, but they are outscored by just 6.4 points on average. When you look at both these statistics, the Warriors are nowhere close to covering a 12-point line. Nevertheless, I expect the Hornets to turn to their bench to keep them competitive in this game and take advantage of the edge they bode in the turnover department. Given the sense of urgency I expect the Hornets to play with, Charlotte is primed to come in under the inflated number even if the Warriors get the win as expected.