The Phoenix Suns face the Charlotte Hornets in an NBA game on Wednesday night in Charlotte with Kevin Durant scheduled to make his debut in a Phoenix uniform.
The game is scheduled for 5 p.m. MST and can be seen on Bally Sports Arizona and Bally Sports Southeast – Charlotte.
Who will win the game?
Check out these odds, picks and predictions for the contest.
The Suns are a 9.5-point favorite in the game, according to Tipico Sportsbook.
Phoenix is -600 on the moneyline and Charlotte is +450.
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Play Picks: Take the Hornets with the points vs. Suns
The site thinks that the point spread is just too high for Phoenix on the road, even with Kevin Durant playing.
Stat Salt: Go with the Suns to cover vs. Hornets in Kevin Durant’s Phoenix debut
Cole Shelton writes: “Phoenix is set to be welcoming Kevin Durant to their lineup while Charlotte will be without LaMelo Ball which is a big blow to their offense as he is the leader and focal point. Although the Hornets are on a five-game winning streak, this is a tough matchup for them as the Suns’ offense – which is already solid – will be even better with Durant, and Durant is also another lengthy defender for their defense. This season as a home underdog, Charlotte is just 8-12 against the spread while in their last five losses, the average margin of defeat is 10.2 PPG while these two teams played earlier this season with Phoenix winning 128-97.”
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It writes: “The Suns record 112.7 points per game, 5.7 fewer points than the 118.4 the Hornets give up. Phoenix is 15-3-1 against the spread and 15-4 overall when scoring more than 118.4 points. Charlotte is 11-6-1 against the spread and 10-8 overall when allowing fewer than 112.7 points.”
The site’s formula predicts that Phoenix will win the game, but it doesn’t have the Suns covering the point spread against Charlotte.
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FiveThirtyEight: Suns have a 56% chance to beat Hornets
The site gives Charlotte a 44% shot at defeating Phoenix in the NBA game on Wednesday night.
Number Fire: Suns have a 72.6% win probability vs. Hornets with Kevin Durant
The site puts Phoenix as a big favorite in the NBA game in Charlotte.
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ESPN: Suns have a 76.1% shot at picking up the victory in Charlotte
The site gives the Hornets a 23.9% opportunity to win the game vs. Phoenix.
Reach Jeremy Cluff at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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