basketball | Wednesday, January 4, 2023 12:29 PM

Charlotte Hornets vs Memphis Grizzlies Best Bet: Hornets Can’t Catch a Break

Milan Stanojic

Charlotte Hornets vs Memphis Grizzlies Best Bet: Wednesday, January 4th

I hope you enjoyed your holiday season, but guess what! That was then and this is now. We had an excellent December making money betting on the NBA, but it’s 2023 and we’ve made nada so far. That said, the Charlotte Hornets are hosting the Memphis Grizzlies tonight at Spectrum Center, and I see some solid value in backing the Grizz.

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Charlotte Hornets vs Memphis Grizzlies Preview
Charlotte Hornets vs Memphis Grizzlies Best Bet

Charlotte Hornets vs Memphis Grizzlies Preview

Thu, Jan 5th.00:00 (UK time)

Quite expectedly, it’s been a challenging 2022/23 season for the Charlotte Hornets so far. With a 10-28 record they are 14th in the Eastern Conference with no hopes of making a comeback. They have won just 3 o their last 10 games and are currently riding a 2-game losing streak. They are coming off a 115-121 loss to the LA Lakers at home where they started off slow, made a rally late in the game, but were ultimately unable to complete the comeback. Gordon Hayward is listed as doubtful for tonight with a hamstring injury, whilst Kelly Oubre is out and Cody Martin is questionable.

The Charlotte Hornets are one of the worst offensive teams in the NBA, ranking 30th in offensive rating and averaging 111.4 points per game. Despite being one of the fastest teams in the league, they take a lot of ill-advised shots and their percentages are quite low, going for 44.5% from the field and just 32.2% from beyond the arc. The Hornets are the second-worst team ATS at home with a record of 6-12, winning just 5 of those games, and this is something we will be looking to exploit.

To be fair the Grizzlies haven’t exactly been the epitome of road profit this season either, with an ATS record of 5-12-1, but I have a good reason for backing them. For one, they are actually a good team. The Grizzlies are sitting pretty in 2nd place in the Western Conference with 23 wins and just 13 losses. They are on a 3-game winning streak, winning 6 of their last 10. The Grizzlies are legitimate title contenders this year, and I was surprised to see the spread at just -7 points.

The Grizzlies have one of the best defences in the league this year, ranking first in defensive rating with 109.6 and allowing 111.1 points per game. Much like their opponents tonight, they play a fast-paced style of ball, attempting a similar number of shots per game, but they have been more disciplined. The Grizzlies are making 46.6% from the field and 33.2 from behind the line. Not a huge difference, but coupled with their smothering defence, it has resulted in a lot more wins.

Charlotte Hornets vs Memphis Grizzlies Best Bet

Neither of these teams have been particularly profitable in this situation, but to be fair, the Grizzlies deserve a lot more credit. They are a contender and I don’t think the books have adjusted properly to the Hornets’ current situation. These two teams already faced each other once this season when the Grizzlies came away with a 130-99 victory.

I don’t see the same thing happening tonight as the Grizz do fall off a lot when playing away from home, but they are still in the middle of the pack. They actually play defence and with Ja Morant healthy, they can take down any team in the league. I’m backing them to cover the 7-point spread.