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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\nKey Matchups and Handicap: Wizards vs Hornets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Neither team has a scheduling edge in this one. Both clubs are on equal rest after playing on Saturday, which puts the focus squarely on form and personnel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Charlotte will be playing its third straight home game after falling to Atlanta and beating Miami, while Washington arrives with momentum following a win over Chicago. The Wizards are off to a 2-1 start both straight-up and against the spread, and the way they are winning is what makes them an attractive short road underdog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Washington's Bench Unit Is Making Noise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n
The most encouraging development for Washington has been the play of its second unit. Justin Champagnie, Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington were thrown into the fire over the past couple of seasons, absorbing heavy minutes as young players learning on the job. Now, with a veteran core leading the starting lineup, that trio has been freed up to create havoc against opposing benches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
They combined for 33 points on 50.0-percent shooting from the floor off the bench in Saturday's win over the Bulls. Even more important than the scoring was the ball security. Washington's bench produced a total of one turnover against Chicago. If that unit can continue to play clean, efficient basketball, the Wizards have the depth to climb the Eastern Conference pecking order, and that depth is a clear advantage against a short-handed opponent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Charlotte Waiting on Reinforcements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n
The Hornets are simply trying to stay afloat right now. Coby White and Kon Knueppel both missed the first week of the season with injuries, and both are expected to remain out again in this contest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Without them, the offense has become heavily concentrated. Brandon Miller took 29 attempts from the field in Saturday's win over Miami, carrying a massive share of the scoring load.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
The supporting cast has not stepped up to ease that burden. Two starters, Moussa Diabate and Sion James, combined for just four points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field in that same game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
That is the core contrast in this matchup: Washington is getting balanced scoring from several different players, while Charlotte is trying to piece an offense together until reinforcements arrive. That kind of one-dimensional attack also helps explain why the Hornets' first three games have all stayed under the total.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Betting Trends: WAS vs CHA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nKey Injuries and Notes: WAS vs CHA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nATS and Total Picks: Wizards vs Hornets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Last season's results favor Charlotte, but those games came with a fully healthy Hornets roster. With White and Knueppel still out, this is a different team, and laying points with an offense that relies so heavily on Miller is a risky proposition. Washington's balance and depth make the Wizards the right side at +1.5, and with the spread this short, the moneyline is a strong option as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
On the total, the market has already pushed the number down two points, and there is good reason for it. Charlotte has stayed under in all three of its games, and its short-handed offense has struggled to generate production beyond its top scorer. The Under 228.5 fits the profile of this Hornets team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nWizards vs Hornets Best Bets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nWashington's young bench has given the Wizards a reliable source of efficient, low-turnover offense, and that is exactly what Charlotte lacks right now. Until the Hornets get their injured players back, the Wizards are the more complete team and the smart play as a short road underdog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Final Score Prediction for Wizards vs Hornets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/ul>\n","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40846","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40846"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40846\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40847,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40846\/revisions\/40847"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40846"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40846"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}