The Charlotte Hornets (25-51) and Oklahoma City Thunder (37-38) have seen their seasons take entirely different trajectories. However, they’ll cross paths yet again tonight.
Charlotte is one of the four NBA teams eliminated from the postseason so far, but that hasn’t stopped them from winning three of their last four games. The previous two came consecutively over a Dallas Mavericks team that has their eyes on the playoffs but sits outside of the playoff picture thanks to the Hornets. Beating Oklahoma City tonight would earn them a season sweep and potentially cause more chaos in the Western Conference standings.
Oklahoma City (OKC) wrapped up a four-game West Coast road swing on Sunday, earning a win in Portland to finish the set 2-2. Now, they’re back home, where they’ve gone 22-15 this season. Clinging to that precarious 10th seed in the Western Conference, Thunder’s margin for error is thin, so home cooking could be exactly what they need.
We saw Hornets vs. Thunder once way back in December, with Charlotte coming out on top. Let’s see what happens this time around.
Hornets vs. Thunder Match Details
Fixture: Charlotte Hornets @ Oklahoma City Thunder
Date and Time: Tuesday, March 28, 2023, 8:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Paycom Center
Hornets vs. Thunder Injury Report
One star is already out for this game, and the season, while the status of another is uncertain. A handful of teammates are joining both guys, as these are two banged-up teams right now.
| Player | Team | Injury | Status |
| LaMelo Ball | Hornets | Ankle | Out |
| Gordon Hayward | Hornets | Thumb | Doubtful |
| Cody Martin | Hornets | Knee | Out |
| Kelly Oubre Jr. | Hornets | Shoulder | Questionable |
| Terry Rozier | Hornets | Foot | Out |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Thunder | Ankle | Questionable |
| Chet Holmgren | Thunder | Foot | Out |
| Lindy Waters III | Thunder | Foot | Out |
| Kenrich Williams | Thunder | Wrist | Out |
Hornets vs. Thunder Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | Money Line |
| Hornets | +10.0 (-105) | Over 230.0 (-110) | +380 |
| Thunder | -10.0 (-115) | Under 230.0 (-110) | -475 |
Hornets vs. Thunder Starting 5s
Hornets: PG – Dennis Smith Jr., SG – Bryce McGowens, SF – Svy Mykhailiuk, PF – P.J. Washington, C – Mark Williams
Thunder: PG – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, SG – Luguentz Dort, SF – Jalen Williams, PF – Josh Giddey, C – Jaylin Williams
Hornets vs. Thunder Prediction
I expect the Thunder to win since they’re back at home, but I also expect the Hornets to keep it close. Charlotte is playing well right now and already beat the Thunder once this season. A major reason why they won the first matchup was finishing +10 when it came to points in the paint. The Hornets are one of the best teams at defending shots at the rim, and the OKC takes most of their shots at the rim.
OKC also has the worst shooting percentage at the rim in the NBA. They’ll need to find a new way to produce points tonight, and their offense may stumble a bit against Charlotte. The Hornets against the spread is the best play in this one.
