Game Time: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, January 21st, 2022 

Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina

Where to Watch:  NBA League Pass

DraftKings:  Spread: Hornets -9.5; O/U 221

BetMGM:  Spread:  NL

VegasInsider:  Spread:  Hornets -9.5; O/U 221

WynnBet: Spread: Hornets -9.5; O/U 222.5

Thunder: 14-30, 14th place Western Conference

Hornets: 25-20, 7th place Eastern Conference

An NBA matchup between one of the worst (if not the worst) teams in the West against a playoff team in the East.  There is no drama here, just ample betting opportunities depending on the point spread. The Thunder make no secret of the fact that they are rebuilding through losing.  Over the last 3 seasons the Thunder have made large dramatic trades of NBA all-stars in exchange for young players and future draft picks. They are starting those young players in the hopes that they will lose enough games to get an “organic” top-three pick.  Among the active roster the Thunder may have 3-4 players they want to keep and build around… PG Shai Gilgeous Alexander, SG Josh Giddey, and a coin toss between SF Darius Bazley and SF (best at SG) Luguentz Dort.  Everyone else on the Thunder roster will want to keep a duffle bag packed… because come draft time they will be moved along with picks to get better players.  Maybe the target isn’t this year… that all depends on ticket sales.  The Thunder could decide anything… except whether or not to win a basketball game in the NBA.   The Hornets are almost built.  The Hornets were a cellar dweller during the Thunder’s heyday of mega star players and standing MVP’s, and deep playoff runs.  During that time the Hornets were spinning their wheels because of a half dozen blown draft picks (the reason the Thunder don’t really want to use their entire cupboard of picks).  The Hornets built slowly under the talent of PG Kemba Walker who is a New York Knick now via a Celtics trade.  Then the Hornets got the type of lucky the Sixers made famous and the Thunder are hoping for … they hit with a top-three pick on PG /SG LaMelo Ball.  He appears to be a generational player with only the Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant to compete with.  Charlotte is good now… the Thunder is terrible… Let’s look at the numbers and figure out where to put the bet.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have lost their last three games.  In fact, they have only won 2 of their last 10 games.  They win only when the other team has a bad game.  However, there is some intrigue because during that awful ten game stretch the Thunder are 7-2-1 ATS. The spreads against the Thunder come out so large that it makes almost no sense.  The only comparable team is the Los Angeles Clippers of the early 90’s that got clowned on the Tonight Show nightly for a full year… before appearing on the show to wave to the crowd as they were mocked to their face (anyone remember that old man stuff?)... That Clipper team often got 7.5-12.5 point point spreads… and they frequently covered that spread.  The reason the spread is so large is to protect the books from the fact that MOST gamblers bet the favorite night after night.  No NBA team is made up of anything other than high school and college legends from all over the world… No matter how bad you think a team is… their worst player is remembered as the best player to ever set foot into such n’ such small town gym.  Everyone can play.  Spreads often get covered, that is why the spread is there.

The Charlotte Hornets have found their leader and taken their place among the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference.  Don't get confused, they are not a one man show.  LaMelo Ball is playing great, but so is: PF/SF Miles Bridges, injured NBA castoff SF Gordon Hayward, Boston Celtics castoff PG Terry Rozier… they also have young, athletic talent coming off the bench.  They didn’t just jump up in the standings this season… they arrived.  If they could find a better Center without losing any talent they would be a solid contender this season… until then we will have to wait and see.  The Hornets have won 7 of their last ten games.  They rank 2nd in scoring in the league at 114.4 ppg!  Today if they traded a couple future first round picks and Gordon Hayward and Mason Plumlee to Utah for Rudy Gobert… They would be set for a Conference Finals (especially since they could slide Miles Bridges to the SF spot and start Jalen McDaniels at power forward).

Al McMordie's 122-92 his last 214, and is loading up on a TV GAME in the NBA on tonight. It's backed by a sweet 90-46 ATS angle, so hop on board right now, and watch your $$$$ roll in tonight!!. Go get it! Get Big Al’s picks right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers. NCAAF, NFL, MLB, college football… get positive value from all your bets! Expert picks!  Fun fact… winning a wager is much better than making a wager!

OKC is 14-30 on the season, but 28-15-1 ATS.  They have logged 18 Overs and 26 Unders.  They are 16-6 in road games.

CHA is 25-20 on the season, but 28-17 ATS.  They have notched 23 Overs, 21 Unders, and 1 Push.  They are 12-6 in home games.

The Thunder are 30th in scoring with 100.7 ppg, 8th in rebounds (when you miss a lot of shots there are more rebounds available), and 27th in AST/TO ratio with 1.6.  They are shooting a dreadful 30th in FG%, 30th in 3PT%, and 19th in FT%.  Way below average, Way below average, just below average.  They are just a little above average on defense where they are ranked 13th while allowing only 107.8 ppg from opponents.  A big part of that defense is Luguentz Dort hustling.

 

The Hornets are 2nd in scoring with 114.4 ppg, 23rd in rebounds with 43.8 rebounds, and 2nd in AST/TO ratio with 2.1.  They are shooting 11th in FG%, 4th in 3PT%, and 27th in FT%.  The soft spot is on the defensive end as they rank 29th while allowing 114.6 ppg from opponents.

 

Our prediction for Friday, January 21st is….  Hornets 114- Thunder 110

Yes, the Hornets will win but their soft offense will allow th eThunder to be in it all game.  If the Thunder don’t win it will be at least a close finish.  Betting on the Thunder is the way to go…. They have only won 14 games this season, but they have won or “covered” 28 games.  If you had bet $1000 dollars per game for the Thunder to win in every game this awful team has played so far… you would right now be up $13,000 minus 10% for the vig = $11,700 up!

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OKC is 27-11 ATS in January games over the last 3 seasons.

OKC is 2-1 AtS versus Charlotte over the last 3 seasons.

OKC is 2-0 ATS versus Charlotte at Charlotte over the last 3 seasons. 

Hornets: PF PJ Washingtonn (hip) Quest

Thunder: PF Derrick Favors (back) Quest ** PG Vit Krejci (ankle) Out

Thunder: SF Luguentz Dort, PF Aaron Wiggins, C Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ** SG Josh Giddey

Hornets: PF Miles Bridges, SF Gordon Hayward, C Mason Plumlee, PG LaMelo Ball, SG Terry Rozier

Thunder

Points: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 22.5

Assists: Josh Giddey 6.3

Rebounds: Josh Giddey 7.4

Steals: Shai Gilgeous- Alexander 1.0

Blocks: Darius Bazley 1.2

Hornets

Points: Miles Bridges 20.0

Assists: LaMelo Ball 7.7

Rebounds: Mile Bridges 7.3

Steals: LaMelo Ball 1.6

Blocks: P.J. Washington 1.0

Thunder: Mark Daigneault

Hornets: James Borrego