Portland Trail Blazers vs Charlotte Hornets Odds, Spread, and Total
Fresh off a record-breaking night in Indianapolis, the Hornets return to the Spectrum Center on Saturday afternoon to host the Trail Blazers. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. EST, with…
Fresh off a record-breaking night in Indianapolis, the Hornets return to the Spectrum Center on Saturday afternoon to host the Trail Blazers. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. EST, with the matchup airing on FanDuel Sports Network Southeast.
Charlotte (29-31) enters the contest as one of the league's hottest teams, having won three straight and 12 of their last 15 games. Rookie Kon Knueppel drained eight three-pointers in the Hornets' dominant 133-109 victory over the Pacers to break the NBA rookie record for triples in a season — reaching 209 makes in just 59 games. Nevertheless, Brandon Miller led Charlotte with 33 points, while the team defense held the Pacers in check.
Charlotte will look to exploit a Portland roster decimated by injuries. The Trail Blazers (29-31) will be without leading scorer Deni Avdija (back) and top rebounder Donovan Clingan (illness), along with Shaedon Sharpe and Damien Lillard.
That said, Portland arrives with some momentum after wins in two of its last three and a 121-112 win over Chicago on Thursday. Jerami Grant led the way with 27 points, while Robert Williams III pulled in 14 rebounds.
This is the first meeting between the teams this season.
Trail Blazers vs Hornets Betting Trends
- The Trail Blazers are 3-1 against the spread in their last four road games.
- The Hornets have won six straight matchups when playing as the favorite.
- The total has gone over in eight of the Trail Blazers' past 10 games.
- The Hornets are 9-1 against the spread in their last 10 outings.
- The Trail Blazers are 6-1 against the Hornets in their last seven meetings.
- The under has hit in five of the last six matchups between these teams.
Trail Blazers vs Hornets Injury Reports
Trail Blazers
- Donovan Clingan, C — Out (illness).
- Shaedon Sharpe, SG — Out (calf).
- Deni Avdija, SF — Out (back).
- Damian Lillard, PG — Out (Achilles).
Hornets
- Liam McNeeley, SF — Out (ankle).
Trail Blazers vs Hornets Predictions and Picks
Saturday pits two high-volume offenses against one another, but the availability report tilts the scales significantly. The Hornets are playing their best basketball of the season, winning 12 of their last 15 behind a blistering three-point attack led by Knueppel and Miller. The "Buzz City" offense thrives on pace and spacing, which poses a nightmare scenario for a Blazers defense missing its anchor.
Portland's identity relies on dominating the glass to compensate for inefficient shooting, ranking second league-wide in offensive rebounding. However, with rookie center Donovan Clingan (illness) and leading scorer Deni Avdija (back) ruled out, the Blazers lose their two biggest advantages: interior size and playmaking creation. Without Clingan to clean up misses, Portland's volume-shooting approach risks becoming empty possessions against a Hornets team that transitions misses into points.
While veterans Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday provide stability, they must match Charlotte's firepower in a track meet. Unless Portland can slow the tempo and muddy the game, the Hornets' explosive perimeter shooting and current form suggest they might have the upper hand.
