High-flying Hornets defying odds in NBA betting at Coral
Published:
Daniel Coyle, American Sports Correspondent | December 11, 2015
Charlotte Hornets @ Memphis Grizzlies (-3.5)
Charlotte Hornets will attempt to continue their charge up the NBA Eastern Conference standings with a fourth straight win when they travel to Memphis on Friday to take on the Grizzlies as 3.5-point underdogs with Coral.
The Hornets (100/1 outsiders with Coral to win the Eastern Conference) enter the weekend as one of the hottest teams in the NBA, winning 13 of 18 straight up since kicking off their campaign with three straight losses. Their turnaround is a vast improvement over their play last season, when they recorded a 33-49 record to finish a distant 11th in the conference.
Defense has played a big role in the Hornets’ revival, holding opponents to under 90 points in five of their last nine, lifting them into the Top 10 in the Association in points per game allowed, and forcing the point total UNDER in five of their last seven.
The club’s success on the scoreboard has been equalled, where they are 6-3 against the spread in their last nine, including a pair of outright wins over Chicago and Miami as betting underdogs, and 12-8-1 ATS overall.
However, the Hornets have produced middling results on the road this season, winning just three of eight SU, but have gone 4-2 ATS as betting underdogs.
The Grizzlies ride a three-game win streak against Charlotte, but continue to play with the inconsistency that has haunted them all season, alternating between wins and losses over their past five, with the club posting a 93-92 victory in Detroit on Wednesday, paying out as 4.5-point underdogs.
Memphis has also struggled at home recently, suffering SU losses in three of their last four at FedExForum, and failing to cover the spread in each of their past five.
Despite their recent woes, the Grizzlies remain in the thick of the Western Conference race, deadlocked with the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks in fourth place with a 13-10 SU record, but have seen their NBA championship odds tumble in NBA futures betting, falling from 33/1 on opening night to their current position at 50/1.
Following Friday night’s clash, the Hornets return home to face Boston on Saturday, while the Grizzlies travel to South Beach to take on the Miami Heat on Sunday, followed by a home date with Washington on Monday.
Miami Heat @ Indiana Pacers (-5.5)
The Heat will look to keep pace with Charlotte on Friday when they visit the Indiana Pacers as 5.5-point underdogs.
Miami has lost two straight, SU and ATS, including a 99-81 road loss to the Hornets on Wednesday night, suffering the blowout defeat as 1-point betting chalk.
They are just 3-4 SU since winning seven of eight, but remain just a game back of the Hornets in the Eastern standings.
The Pacers (20/1 to win the Eastern Conference) have cooled off considerably since going on a torrid 12-2 run that lifted them near the top of the conference standings.
Indy has now lost three straight, including a disappointing 131-123 loss to the undefeated Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, surrendering 125.3 points per game during that stretch, but are undefeated, SU and ATS, in their last four home dates with the Heat.
In other NBA betting action, the Pistons visit the lowly Philadelphia 76ers on Friday as 7.5-point favourites, while the Wizards travel to the Big Easy to battle New Orleans Pelicans as 2.5-point underdogs, the Orlando Magic host Cleveland Cavaliers as 3.5-point underdogs, and Toronto Raptors entertain the Milwaukee Bucks as 7.5-point chalk.
Related
Check out Coral’s US Sports section for all the latest action from America.
