Cleveland Cavaliers vs Charlotte Hornets Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 13/04/2024, 17:40  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 13/04/2024 at 18:39 in NBA Predictions

The Charlotte Hornets will head to the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to face the Cleveland Cavaliers in their final match of the NBA season on Sunday. The hosts are 48-33 and fourth in the Eastern Conference while the visitors are 20-61 and 13th in the Conference standings. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers have an opportunity to secure the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference depending on the outcomes of Sunday's games. With Charlotte opting to rest its starters in a recent blowout loss to Boston, Cleveland is heavily favored to win at home. If the Cavaliers emerge victorious and both the New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks suffer losses, Cleveland would hold the tiebreaker over Milwaukee for the division title. Despite all three teams having identical records, divisional tiebreaker rules would take precedence. The Cavaliers enter this contest on the back of a 129-120 victory over the high-scoring Indiana Pacers, led by Donovan Mitchell's 33 points and Jarrett Allen's 29. While Cleveland ranks 20th in scoring offense (112.7), their defensive prowess shines as they hold the seventh rank, allowing just 110.1 points per game.

While the Cleveland Cavaliers are navigating games with playoff implications, the Charlotte Hornets (20-61) were not part of such scenarios in their recent 131-98 loss to Boston. Tre Man led the Hornets with 39 points and eight assists, while Nick Smith Jr. contributed 15 points. Sunday's game will mark the final coaching assignment for Hornets coach Steve Clifford, who will transition into a front-office role within the organization. Offensively, the Hornets rank second-worst in the league, averaging just 106.4 points per game this season. Defensively, they have allowed an average of 116.9 points, placing them 22nd in the league. Hindered by injuries, the team has faced challenges with makeshift lineups throughout the season and looks ahead to a rebuilding phase after the break.