Charlotte Hornets vs Houston Rockets: Odds, Spread, and Total
Did someone put the Charlotte Hornets in the Metropolitan Division by mistake? Winning streaks are supposed to pick up ground faster in the NBA versus the NHL, where more than…
Did someone put the Charlotte Hornets in the Metropolitan Division by mistake? Winning streaks are supposed to pick up ground faster in the NBA versus the NHL, where more than wins and losses apply. That's not how it's gone for the 23-28 Hornets, who have won seven straight without so much as boosting their way into an NBA Play-In Tournament position in the Eastern Conference. The undaunted Hornets will try to extend their sizzling streak when the Houston Rockets play host to Charlotte at 8 p.m. EST Thursday.
Charlotte isn't just winning, but establishing itself as a dangerous road team in the process. If it seemed like a fluke when the Hornets upset the host LA Lakers 137-115 on Jan. 15, it felt like less of one after Charlotte won 110-87 in Denver days later. Charlotte is 8-2 in its last 10 contests away from home.
Thursday's tilt in Space City will test the Hornets' high level of road moxie, given that the 31-18 Rockets boast a 17-5 record at Toyota Center this season. Kevin Durant is mustering a vintage season at age 37, rivaling Steph Curry's points while averaging over five rebounds. But the Hornets have the edge in rest.
Spread
- Hornets +3.5 (-108)
- Rockets -3.5 (-104)
Money line
- Hornets +138
- Rockets -144
Total
- Over 217.5 (-104)
- Under 217.5 (-108)
Note: The above data was collected on Feb. 5, 2026, and may have changed since writing.
Charlotte Hornets vs Houston Rockets Betting Trends
- The Charlotte Hornets have won seven consecutive games.
- Charlotte has lost in only two of its previous 10 road contests.
- The Houston Rockets have gone 17-5 at home this season.Â
Charlotte Hornets vs Houston Rockets Injury Reports
Charlotte Hornets
- Forward Tidjane Salaun is questionable due to illness.
- Guard KJ Simpson is out with a hip injury.
Houston Rockets
- Forward Dorian Finney-Smith is out with an ankle injury.
- Center Steven Adams is out for the season with an ankle injury.
- Point guard Fred VanVleet is out until at least June with a knee injury.
Charlotte Hornets vs Houston Rockets Predictions and Picks
What's got Charlotte so hot in what may be a stunning turnaround? Rookie guard Kon Knueppel has been key to the Hornets' rise to the top of the NBA's scoring rankings for January. At the pro level, Duke's gem has become "one of the best shooters on the planet," as per a gushing Billy Heyen of The Sporting News. Don't overlook the Hornets' boosted defense, which held the Pelicans to a 31-point second half on Monday.
Not even a freak accident can slow the Hornets down. LaMelo Ball briefly left Charlotte's win over New Orleans on Monday after colliding with his head coach, Charles Lee, on the sideline when both men tried to stop a wayward basketball. Ball, often criticized as soft, returned to score 26 points with eight rebounds.
Durant's ankle issue could keep bothering him all winter, but that's no excuse for Las Vegas to set a total as low as it is for the Hornets-Rockets tip. If the game was in Charlotte, we could see Houston having a bad night. At home, the Rockets will keep up with Knueppel's newbies in a battle that goes over the O/U.
