Charlotte Hornets vs Brooklyn Nets Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Opening Week

Charlotte cannot score and Brooklyn cannot stop anybody, in a game between two teams still searching for a shape. Brooklyn is home and getting points against the lowest-scoring offense in the league.

The Matchup

Charlotte is 3-5 and scores 97.4 points per game, the lowest mark in the league. The Hornets allow 108.6, which is respectable, but an offense this quiet makes every game a grind. Brandon Miller is their best scorer, Dennis Schroder runs the team, and Naz Reid gives them size inside. Brooklyn is 1-6, scores 105.6, and allows 114.1. Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle carry the Nets' scoring, and the rest of the rotation is young and uneven.

Charlotte's report takes away two more pieces. Kon Knueppel is out, listed with a November 4 return date but carrying an out designation for this game, and Grant Williams is out until around November 9. Coby White is day-to-day. Keep an eye on whether White plays before placing a bet, because Charlotte's bench scoring is thin without him. Brooklyn is missing Egor Demin, out with a leg bruise until around November 7, and Tyler Bilodeau, out with a shoulder sprain.

DraftKings makes Charlotte a 3.5-point road favorite at Barclays Center, with a total of 213.5, the lowest on the night's board. The market expects a slow, ugly game, and both offenses have earned that expectation.

Key Factors

A road favorite has to score to cover, and scoring is the one thing Charlotte does worst in the league. The Hornets can defend Brooklyn into a bad night and still be sitting on 95 points with five minutes left, needing every late possession to go right just to win, let alone win by two possessions.

Brooklyn's path is narrower but simpler. Randle can score against Charlotte's frontcourt, Porter can get his own shot against anyone, and the Nets are home, where their young rotation has at least played with energy. In a game priced this low, a short burst in the third quarter is often the whole margin, and the home team usually gets the friendlier version of those minutes.

The counterpoint is Brooklyn's defense, which allows 114.1 and has made ordinary offenses look good all season. Charlotte's 97.4 could look healthier by the end of the night. If Miller gets comfortable early and the Hornets' defense travels the way it has, the favorite wins this game and the points never matter.

Every pick is published with its line before the game. Odds via consensus sportsbooks at time of writing and move constantly. Must be 21+. If gambling is a problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.