Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images. Pictured: Terry Rozier #3, Devonte’ Graham #4 of the Charlotte Hornets.
We’ve got a huge slate of NBA games on Wednesday, headlined by two awesome matchups on ESPN: Pelicans vs. Nets (7:30 p.m. ET) and Jazz vs. Suns (10 p.m. ET).
Our NBA analysts have targeted two games tonight, and are betting one short home favorite and one total. Take a look our in-depth analysis for each showdown below.
NBA Odds & Picks
| Click on a game to skip ahead | |
| Memphis Grizzlies vs. Atlanta Hawks | 8 p.m. ET |
| Charlotte Hornets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder | 8 p.m. ET |
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Atlanta Hawks
| Pick | Hawks -2 |
| Book | BetMGM |
| Tipoff | 8 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBA League Pass |
Justin Phan: Ja Morant was spotted heading toward the locker room late in the Tuesday win and grabbing his lower back area. Morant said he was fine afterward and is not on the injury report on the second night of a back-to-back, which bodes well for his availability.
But I am still concerned about his back and any potential lingering effects. The Grizzlies will already be without Justise Winslow, Brandon Clarke, and De’Anthony Melton, so depth will be thin tonight. Killian Tillie, Xavier Tillman, and John Konchar have all received boosts in playing time with Clarke, Melton, and Winslow unavailable.
The Grizz are 0-3 in road back-to-backs this season and I see value on the Hawks at home here. I bet them at -2 earlier and would I’d go up to Hawks -3.
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Charlotte Hornets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
| Pick | Over 213 |
| Book | DraftKings |
| Tipoff | 8 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBA League Pass |
Raheem Palmer: The Thunder are tanking. They’ve found injuries for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Darius Bazley, Lu Dort, Josh Hall, Mike Muscala and Al Horford agreed to sit out for the rest of the season.
Although the offense has completely collapsed over the past two weeks, scoring just 98.6 points per 100 possessions, the Thunder defense is giving up a whopping 118.7 points per 100 possessions over the past two weeks, which ranks last among NBA teams.
They gave up 132 to the Pistons, 133 to the Blazers, 140 to the Suns, 127 to the Mavericks, 111 to the Celtics and 116 to the Grizzlies over the past two weeks. This team simply can’t stop anyone and despite their offense falling off, the Thunder are playing the sixth-fastest Pace since the All Star break (101.04), which creates the perfect recipe for an over.
This total is a bit suppressed with Gordon Hayward out of the lineup as he’s a one of their key scorers and playmakers. While the Hornets are +3.4 points per 100 possessions better offensively with him on the floor, Miles Bridges is more than capable of replacing his scoring output against the depleted Thunder.
The Hornets generate most of their points from behind the arc where they’re shooting 38.7% of their field goal attempts and making the sixth-highest percentage (38.9%), but they should be able to score at the rim against the Thunder who rank 29th in Opponent Field Goal percentage at the rim (67.1%). The Hornets struggle to guard the rim as well, allowing opposing teams to shoot 66.2%, 26th among NBA teams.
The Thunder also shoot the ninth-highest percentage of 3-point field goals (38.6%) so this is really a game where both teams will be shooting a ton of 3s. With this likely being a fast paced game between two teams who should find success at the rim and will shoot a ton of 3-pointers, I like this game to go over 213.
My projections make this game 218 so I think this total is a bit short.
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