Philadelphia 76ers vs. Charlotte Hornets Spread, Line, Odds, Predictions, and Algorithm Picks from the SportsGrid Betting Model

The Philadelphia 76ers put their two-game winning streak on the line against the Charlotte Hornets tonight; however, their recent results are masking an underwhelming stretch for the Sixers. Philly has dropped nine of their past 14 games and is 8-6 on the road this season. These teams are playing a back-to-back set, with the 76ers taking the first matchup. However, based on our current projections, the Hornets are the team to back.

The 76ers went to the free-throw line 27 times on Sunday, and that was the difference as they knocked down 20 of those attempts to get past the Hornets 127-124. Otherwise, Charlotte outscored the Sixers 112-107, knocking down more field goals and three-pointers. Expect a more disciplined effort from the Hornets on Wednesday night, as they avoid sending Philadelphia and their fourth-ranked free-throw percentage to the charity stripe.

This season, three-point shooting has been the key to the Hornets’ success as they rank fourth in the NBA in three-pointers per game and second in three-point percentage. Charlotte has been even more effective at draining from long-distance at home, where they’ve nailed 40.5% of three-pointers over its past five games. That has helped them to a 7-3 record at home and one of the best offenses in the NBA.

Philadelphia’s offense has been much less impressive this year. This season, the Sixers have the 30th-ranked offensive pace, scoring the 18th-most points, and their scoring efficiency has taken a hit over their recent sample. Philadelphia has been limited to 102 points or fewer in five of their past seven games. That’s going to make it hard for them to keep pace with the Hornets if they get their three-ball working.

Based on our projections, the betting market has overreacted to the Sixers’ chances tonight. That has created an edge in backing the Hornets on the spread and moneyline, which we rate as 4- and 5-star plays, respectively. The model’s expected margin is Charlotte by 1.7 points, a significant jump from the +6-point spread for the home dogs. It also has set a fair moneyline of +126 rather than the +250 FanDuel Sportsbook offers.

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