Philadelphia 76ers vs Charlotte Hornets Prediction 3/17

The Philadelphia 76ers (46-22) will take on the Charlotte Hornets (22-49) on March 17, 2023, in Charlotte, North Carolina, at 7 p.m. EDT. The Sixers will be looking to extend their four-game road winning streak. Meanwhile, the Hornets will be looking to improve their record against Eastern Conference opponents, which currently stands at 13-33.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are a well-rounded team that ranks among the best in the league in many statistical categories. They rank 14th in the league in points per game, averaging 115.1 points per game. Defensively, the Sixers have been even better, ranking third in the league in points allowed per game, allowing only 110.7 points per game.

The Sixers are led by their superstar center, Joel Embiid, who is averaging 33.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game this season. Tyrese Maxey has been a sharpshooter for the Sixers, averaging 3.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets have struggled this season and are currently in 14th place in the Eastern Conference. Offensively, they rank 26th in the league, averaging only 111.6 points per game. However, they have been strong on the boards, ranking seventh in the league in total rebounds per game, with 53.2 rebounds per game.

The Hornets are led by Terry Rozier, who is averaging 21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game this season. Kelly Oubre Jr. has also been playing well, averaging 21.1 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 48.0% over the last 10 games.

Betting Trends:

The Philadelphia 76ers are 32-40-1 against the spread (ATS) this season, while the Charlotte Hornets are 31-40-0. The total has gone over in 33 of Philadelphia's 73 games this season and in 38 of Charlotte's 71 games.

Public Betting Data:

According to the latest NBA betting trends from KingPin.pro, the 76ers are receiving 65% of the public betting action as of March 17, 2023. The point spread for the game opened at -6.5 in favor of the 76ers and has since moved to -7.5.

Prediction:

The Philadelphia 76ers come into this game on a four-game road winning streak, and they will be looking to extend that streak against a struggling Charlotte Hornets team. Joel Embiid has been on fire lately, averaging 33.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.7 blocks over his last 10 games. The Hornets have struggled this season, especially on the defensive end, where they are giving up an average of 117.5 points per game, the 23rd worst in the NBA.

While the Hornets won the last meeting between these two teams back in November, the 76ers are a much different team now. With Embiid playing at an MVP level, and the 76ers playing well on both ends of the court, they should be able to cover the spread and win this game by double digits.

Pick: Philadelphia 76ers (-7.5)