Philadelphia 76ers vs Charlotte Hornets Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 01/03/2024, 04:03  by Joseph King | Modified on 01/03/2024 at 04:03 in NBA Predictions

The fifth-place 76ers take to the court looking to snap out of a losing stretch as they host the 13th-placed Hornets in this Eastern Conference contest. Philly has faced a murderer’s row in the last few weeks so it’s not a huge surprise that they’ve been struggling for wins. In their last six games, the Sixers have played the Cavaliers (twice), the Heat, the Knicks, the Bucks and the Celtics, teams with a combined .647 winning percentage. During that six-game stretch, Philly won two and lost four, including their last outing which resulted in a 117-99 defeat to the first-place Boston Celtics. It was the team’s second loss in a row and dropped their record to 33-25 on the season. Philadelphia is in desperate need of a win here as they suddenly find themselves on the brink of dropping out of the top six seeds, which grants automatic qualification into the NBA Playoffs.

After experiencing their best run of the season in the form of four consecutive victories in the middle of February, the Hornets have now reverted to their more recognizable selves. A 111-99 away loss to the Bucks on Thursday makes it back-to-back defeats for Charlotte and three losses from their last four overall. The Hornets now sit 13th in the East with a 15-44 record on the year, putting them a solid six games above the Wizards for the worst record in the NBA. They’re still without LaMelo Ball, who is expected to be back at some point soon although this date seemingly keeps getting pushed back. Without Ball’s playmaking, Charlotte has a strong case for being the worst team in the NBA. They rank 30th in adjusted net rating at -10.3, with a decent sized gap between themselves and 29th Portland at -8.5.