Charlotte Hornets (5-4) attempt to arrest a two-game slide against the Sacramento Kings (4-4) in the second stop of a five-game road trip on Friday, 10 PM EST, at Golden 1 Center. BetUS odds are posted below.
Charlotte Hornets vs. Sacramento Kings Betting Lines
ATS: Hornets +2,
Moneyline: Hornets +110, Kings -130
O/U: 231 points
Charlotte Hornets vs. Sacramento Kings Team News
With LaMelo Ball on the path of becoming a superstar, Ben Stinar of Fan Nation thinks the Hornets might have blown the chance of pairing their budding star next to an NBA-ready talent out of this year draft. The writer is referring to Chris Duarte, who is off to a sensational start for the Pacers. The former Oregon standout is averaging 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in 34 minutes per contest, making him one of the key contributors right away for his team in his rookie season. Stinar wonders what the Hornets would have become if they decided to pick Duarte instead of 21-year-old UConn standout James Bouknight at no.11.
“There is nothing wrong with Bouknight, and he may very well turn out to be an NBA star, but through the first nine games, it looks like a lot of teams did not realize just how good Duarte already is,” Stinar opines.
Alex Didion of NBC Sports Bay Area praises veteran Harrison Barnes (23.2 PPG and 9.5 RPG) and Richaun Holmes (15.0 PPG and 9.9 RPG) for stepping up their game when the Kings couldn’t get consistent output off their young guards.
“But as Fox continues to struggle and Mitchell learns the intricacies of an NBA system, it has been Harrison Barnes and Richaun Holmes who have shined over the first six games,” Didion observes.
Charlotte Hornets vs. Sacramento Kings Injury Report
Hornets: PJ Washington – Doubtful (Elbow), LaMelo Ball – Probable (Hip)
Kings: No Reported Injuries
Charlotte Hornets vs Sacramento Kings Preview
The Hornets, who surprised everybody after posting a 3-0 record in the first week of NBA season, has gotten a dose of a reality check in the last two games. The losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 113-110, and the Golden State Warriors, 114-92, exposed a gaping hole on the team’s roster: the lack of frontline depth. The fact that Mason Plumlee is the only true center getting over 20 minutes a game from head coach James Borrego exacerbates the problem. What the Hornets miss right now is a legitimate big who is willing to crash the board and contest point-blank range shots.
The Kings, on the other hand, have a lot of reasons to be thankful for having a 4-4 slate considering De’Aaron Fox woeful start. After averaging a career-high in points, rebounds, and assists last season, the former fifth overall pick appears to have taken a step back in his development after posting 17.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game through eight games. Worse, the guard has worrisome shooting splits of 38.5 FG%, 19.0 3PT%, and 62.5 FT%.
The Hornets and Kings faced each other twice last season, with the former winning both games. Ball dropped a 24-point, 12-assist performance in the first game and chipped in 16 points and four assists in the other head-to-head encounter last season. Meanwhile, Fox recorded a huge double-double in those games (20 points-14 assists and 29 points-8 assists) to pace his team last season.
Charlotte Hornets vs. Sacramento Kings Prediction
Fresh off a tough game against the Warriors, the Hornets will try to get back on a winning track on Friday. Charlotte is the no.1 team in the NBA in terms of points per game at 114.67. Sacramento isn’t far behind with 109.88 points – good for 12th in the league. In short, this game will likely turn into another high-scoring affair with both squads trading quick shots through the first three quarters. In the fourth quarter, expect the pace to get a little bit slower as tighter defense is employed. Once the dust settles, it will be the Kings who will come away with a close win at home.
Charlotte Hornets vs. Sacramento Betting Picks
Picks: The Kings go over .500 with a win over the visiting Hornets. Moreover, total has gone OVER in six of Charlotte’s first nine games, and that trend will likely continue Friday.
For more NBA betting odds, visit BetUs.com.
