The New Orleans Pelicans, making their second straight road trip, will take the Charlotte Hornets on Friday (October 21) in NBA action.
The Hornets (1-0) play in the Eastern Conference, while the Pelicans (1-0) play in the West. The Pelicans lead their last five meetings 3-2.
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Charlotte is a team full of young blood and has a lot of potential, led by the enigmatic LaMelo Ball. However, his participation is in doubt, as he picked up an ankle injury in pre-season.
The Hornets started the new season with a 129-102 win over the San Antonio Spurs. The starting five fared well, especially Terry Rozier, who was their highest scorer with 24 points, six rebounds and six assists.
They will now face a confident New Orleans team who are also coming off a 130-108 win over the Brooklyn Nets in their season opener.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Charlotte Hornets: Betting Odds
New Orleans pulled off a great win against the Nets. It was supposed to be a tough away trip for the Pelicans, but they surprised everyone, as a fit-again Zion Williamson proved too hot to handle for the Nets.
Brandon Ingram did what he does best alongside CJ McCollum, who has enjoyed since leaving the Portland Trailblazers. It was a great team effort, and they will look to carry the same form they picked up towards the end of last season.
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New Orleans Pelicans vs Charlotte Hornets: Match Details
Fixture: New Orleans Pelicans @ Charlotte Hornets
Date & Time: Friday, October 21; 07:00 pm EDT
Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina
New Orleans Pelicans vs Charlotte Hornets: Pick
CJ McCollum has looked like a player finding his old game since making his move to the Pelicans. He has been sublime, helped his team reach the playoffs last season.
Interestingly, CJ has scored 20+ points in his last four games against the Hornets, including three 25+ outings. There's a strong chance he could produce another such game. The team's great form also augurs well.
Pick: CJ McCollum Total Points Over 19.5 (-125)
New Orleans Pelicans vs Charlotte Hornets: Prediction
Both teams won their first game of the season. Charlotte will miss the presence of LaMelo Ball in offense, which could complicate things for them.
The Pelicans look like a very solid team at the moment. They have a strong center in Jonas Valanciunas, two great forwards in Ingram and Williamson and an amazing guard in CJ. New Orleans look good to win this game.
Prediction: New Orleans Pelicans Team Total Over 118.5 (-110)
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