The NBA betting action goes on with 11 games on Friday, January 28, 2022, so we have prepared the best Lakers vs. Hornets betting pick along with the latest odds update on BetOnline Sportsbook.

The Lakers and Hornets close down their two-game non-conference series. Back in November, Los Angeles outlasted Charlotte 126-123 in overtime and barely covered a 2.5-point spread at home. It was their sixth consecutive straight-up and ATS victory over the Hornets. 

Los Angeles plays without rest   

The Los Angeles Lakers will meet the Hornets on the second day of a back-to-back set, and their Thursday night’s road contest against the Philadelphia 76ers has been excluded from the analysis. Before that tough matchup with the Sixers, the Lakers have dropped five of their last eight games overall, going 3-5 ATS in the process.

Anthony Davis returned to the Lakers’ starting lineup last Tuesday after missing 17 straight games with a knee injury. In a 106-96 road victory at Brooklyn, Davis accounted for eight points and four blocks in 25 minutes on the floor.

LeBron James, who was listed as questionable to play Thursday at Philadelphia, dropped 33 points on the Nets. He’s been outstanding as of late, averaging 30.7 points on 52.0% shooting from the field through his previous ten appearances. James is dealing with knee soreness.

Charlotte trounced Indiana to stop its two-game slide      

The Charlotte Hornets improved to 27-22 straight up and 30-19 ATS following a 158-126 thrashing of the Indiana Pacers this past Wednesday. Playing as small 2-point road favorites, the Hornets managed to snap their two-game skid and set the franchise single-game scoring record.

Charlotte humiliated the lowly Pacers. The Hornets made 58.1% of their field goals and 53.3% of their 3-pointers (24-of-45), handing out a whopping 37 assists. Kelly Oubre Jr. led the charge with 39 points on ridiculous 10-for-15 shooting from deep, while LaMelo Ball posted a triple-double of 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 dimes.

Oubre Jr. is questionable for Friday’s clash against the Lakers due to an ankle injury. Gordon Hayward is still in the medical protocols, so the Hornets could be quite shorthanded on the wing. Hayward, who’s averaged 17.0 points and 4.7 rebounds a night thus far, will clear quarantine on the last day of January.

Trends:

LA Lakers:

  • N/A 

Charlotte:

  • 8-3 ATS in the last 11 games overall 
  • 13-3 ATS in the last 16 games at home

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Charlotte Hornets Pick

The Lakers have owned the Hornets as of late, going 6-0 SU and ATS in their previous six encounters. Also, the Lakers have covered in 13 of their last 17 dates with Charlotte, but that could easily change Friday at Spectrum Center.

The Hornets are one of the most pleasant surprises of the season, sitting at the seventh spot of the Eastern Conference standings. Charlotte has gone 11-5 SU and 13-3 ATS in its last 13 games on the home court. The Hornets are not a great defensive team, but they should have enough offensive firepower to deal with the Lakers. Charlotte boasts the fourth-highest offensive rating in the NBA, tallying 113.1 points per 100 possessions.

On the other side, the Lakers have been pretty much a hit-or-miss over the last few weeks. Anthony Davis should be on limited minutes, and the Lakers’ offense leans on LeBron way too much, scoring 108.8 points per 100 possessions (23rd in the league).

Pick: Take Charlotte Hornets          

The Total:

The over is 7-3 in the Lakers’ last ten outings, while the total has gone under in seven of the Hornets’ previous ten. When it comes to their H2H duels, the over is 4-2 in the last six, while their first meeting of the season produced 249 points in total with the line at 225.5.

Both Los Angeles and Charlotte prefer to play at a fast pace, so I lean the over. The Hornets rank second in the NBA in possessions per 48 minutes (100.7), while the Lakers are right behind them with 100.5.

Pick: Go over