Charlotte Hornets vs Philadelphia 76ers Prediction and Betting Tips | Dec. 20, 2024 

The Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers match up for the fourth and final time on Friday. Philadelphia (8-16) will look to sweep Charlotte (7-20) in their season series.

The Sixers defeated the Hornets 121-108 on the road on Monday, with their star duo of Tyrese Maxey and Paul George combining for 73 points. That marked their fifth win in their last seven outings following their slow start to the season.

Conversely, Charlotte has dropped three straight games and 11 of its last 12 as it continues to plummet in the Eastern Conference standings. That includes Thursday's 123-114 road loss to the lowly Washington Wizards.

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Charlotte Hornets vs Philadelphia 76ers odds, preview and prediction

The Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers' clash is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Friday at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The game will be broadcast on NBCS-PH and FDSSE. It can also be streamed on NBA League Pass and FuboTV.

Moneyline: Hornets (+310) vs Sixers (-390)

Spread: Hornets +9.5 (-110) vs Sixers -9.5 (-110)

Total (Over/Under): o221.0 (-110) vs u221.0 (-110)

Editor's note: The odds could change closer to tipoff, as the odds listed were based on available information at the time of writing.

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Charlotte Hornets vs Philadelphia 76ers preview

Philadelphia and Charlotte enter Friday's contest trending in opposite directions. However, both squads face extensive question marks surrounding the availability of one of their top players.

Hornets sophomore wing Brandon Miller sat out Thursday with a left ankle sprain and is considered questionable to play Friday. Miller has been his squad's second-leading scorer this season (21.5 points per game).

Meanwhile, Sixers superstar center Joel Embiid is also questionable due to a right sinus fracture after a one-game absence. The 2023 MVP has been limited to only six appearances this season amid a series of injury setbacks.

Philly and Charlotte rank 28th (107.3) and 26th (108.4) in the NBA in offensive rating. However, at full strength, the Sixers have significantly more offensive firepower.

Meanwhile, they have been a far better defensive team, ranking 12th in defensive rating (111.9), while the Hornets sit 20th (114.7). So, George and Maxey could be primed for another big scoring opportunity.

Charlotte has over-relied on star point guard LaMelo Ball this season. The one-time All-Star has been the franchise's top scorer (30.4 ppg), playmaker (7.5 assists per game) and shooter (4.5 3-pointers per game).

So, it will likely take a superhuman-like effort from Ball to help the Hornets overcome their lackluster defense and pick up a rare road win. Moreover, if Embiid suits up, Hornets big men Mark Williams and Nick Richards are projected to face difficulty slowing down the seven-time All-Star.

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Charlotte Hornets vs Philadelphia 76ers projected starting lineups

With Miller's status uncertain, Charlotte's starting lineup could be as follows:

PG: LaMelo Ball SG: Brandon Miller (GTD)/ Seth Curry SF: Josh Green PF: Miles Bridges C: Mark Williams

Meanwhile, Philly could trot out the following starting five depending on Embiid's availability.

PG: Tyrese Maxey SG: Kelly Oubre Jr. SF: Paul George PF: KJ Martin C: Joel Embiid (GTD)/Andre Drummond

Editor's note: These are projected starting lineups and could change as players' availabilities are updated closer to game time.

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Charlotte Hornets vs Philadelphia 76ers betting tips

Ball's points prop is 27.5. He has tallied 32-plus points in five of his last six games. Given his high usage rate, he should hit the over, especially if Miller is sidelined.

Meanwhile, Maxey's points prop is 25.5. Before dropping 40 points on Monday, the one-time All-Star recorded 25 points or fewer in his previous five outings. Thus, he could come up just short of hitting the over.

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Charlotte Hornets vs Philadelphia 76ers prediction

Philly has more star power and defense than Charlotte and possesses the homecourt advantage. Additionally, it is motivated to continue digging out of its early season hole, while the Hornets could be fatigued on the second night of a back-to-back.

Therefore, the Sixers should make light work of Charlotte and cover the spread (-9.5) with another double-digit victory. Moreover, given the Hornets' lackluster defense, the teams appear likely to surpass their over/under point total (221.0), as they did on Monday.

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