Hornets fans will get a chance to see their team for the first time this season, while the Hawks will play away for the second time of the season-starting 5 game road trip after a visit to Dallas on Tuesday.
Hawks at Hornets
Spread: Charlotte -5 (-110) at BetDSI Sportsbook
Total: over 205 (-110)
European guards get the win for Atlanta in Dallas
Dennis Schroder scored 28 and backup sharpshooter Marco Bellineli added 20 on some prolific long-range shooting to guide the Atlanta Hawks to a close 111-117 victory over the Mavericks. Despite low expectations from this season, the Hawks came to play and attacked Mavs’ weaknesses by relentlessly attacking the unprotected paint and going strong after rebounds. The Hawks outrebounded their opponents by a 50-41 margin, a big one if you consider that they shot better, over 50 percent for the game. Entering the final minute locked at 111, the Hawks decided the game with two offensive rebounds and 4 second-chance points in the clutch.
As much positive they did offensively, the Hawks still have a lot to do on the defensive end. They packed the paint and left outside shooters largely unchallenged. It was obvious that it’s by game design, but better shooting teams will prey on such tactics. There was also a myriad of isolation plays, a clear sign of a poor team.
The Hawks will take it, especially as they continue the early season road trip with a visit to Charlotte. They’ve lost three times to their division rival last season, but came into North Carolina and thrashed them in April, so it’s going to be interesting to see if they’ll be ready for some likely revenge attempt.
Place: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina
Date/Time: Friday, October 20th, 2017. 7:00 PM ET
TV Coverage: Fox Sports Southeast
Hornets struggling to find a substitute for Batum in the opener
High hopes to return to the playoff took a hit in the preseason when Hornets’ starting wing Nicolas Batum suffered an injury, but rarely does one injury be so impactful and obvious on team’s display as this one. Of course, it was compounded by the fact that Hornets’ other athletic wing, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, missed the game in Detroit for personal reasons. The Hornets had to start Jeremy Lamb and Dwayne Bacon, leaving the bench paper thin.
The most athletic player on the floor, Pistons’ Tobias Harris, promptly blitzed them, scoring 17 points in the first quarter alone and Charlotte found themselves in double-digit deficit by halftime. Such margin was difficult to overcome when no shot would go down. The Hornets never threatened the rest of the way, connecting on just 39.7 percent of their field goals and with no reserve player scoring in double digits. Most of the Hornets players had a tough time scoring efficiently, but Kaminsky and rookie Monk had been brutal, combining to shoot 2-18 for the night.
The good news is that they played solid defense, containing everybody except Harris. Of course, the Pistons are among the most limited offensive teams in the league, so it’s only a minor accomplishment. Still, it’s only the first game, and the Hornets get a chance to make amends at home versus Atlanta Hawks, who play at a similar style to them and one that probably suits them more.
Atlanta Hawks at Charlotte Hornets Game Trends & Prediction
The Atlanta Hawks have covered in Dallas, confirming the market moves prior to the game. As the line moved over 15 points, there were pro moves on the plus spread that would have been covered even if the last minute of the game paned out differently. The first game of the season also went into a deep over. It was a game of a fair pace, but the score was driven up by poor defenses more than the tempo.
As a 3/3.5 underdog in the first game, the Hornets failed to cover in Detroit, having lost by a final score of 102-90. More than just the result, the market is going to adjust after Wednesday’s display, especially if Kidd-Gilchrist is to miss more games. Unsurprisingly, the two offensively challenged teams stayed below the expected total line by more than 10 points, offsetting most of the Hawks plus points in their first game.
A unique ranking system – AdmiRank helps you understand how good NBA teams are on a scale to 100. By comparing the Hawks and the Hornets, you can see that Hornets are held in much higher regard, even with teams trending in different directions. Keep in mind that this score is unadjusted for short-term injuries or other reasons for player absence.
Charlotte could be pressed to do win and avoid slipping down to 0-2 hole, as they have next three days off and a lot of think about. I don’t think backing the Hawks away from home had much to do with them being overlooked as much as the market not respecting Mavericks much.
Vegas opened up with Hornets being a 5 point favorite and 205 total points line. Both lines make perfect sense, as it’s still unclear if Kidd-Gilchrist plays or not, so it’s something of a midpoint that the books are after. This gives us a perfect opportunity to jump on the overs. Kidd Gilchrist is an important screw in the Hornets defense, but with very little offensive coming from the Hawks wings, his impact on the scoring is diminished. On the other hand, if he’d play, there would be enough of a value to take the home side as well, but as soon as his availability becomes clear, the price will likely be gone.
My Pick: Charlotte -5 (-110), only if Kidd-Gilchrist is confirmed
Total: over 205 points (-110)
