Hornets vs Warriors

Stephen Curry and the Warriors, riding a two-game winning streak and a 7-3 run over their last 10 to sit eighth in the West, host a Hornets team that just snapped its skid but remains 12th in the East with a marginally negative point differential at midseason. With Curry historically productive against Charlotte (around 25 points and 7 assists per game) and supported by Jimmy Butler III, Draymond Green and a deep guard/wing corps that includes Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State’s core is largely intact, while only role players like Seth Curry (sciatic issue) and high-energy wing Gui Santos (ankle) are ruled out. Charlotte counters with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges, but their rotation has spent much of the year juggling injuries to key wings such as Grant Williams, Josh Green and Tre Mann, and they were recently outgunned 132-125 by this same Warriors group despite big nights from Ball and Miller. Combined with Golden State’s 15-6 home record, +2.6 net rating and clear incentive to firm up playoff position against a lottery-bound opponent, laying the juice on the Warriors moneyline at -250 is justified even if the payout ceiling is modest, so I’m backing Golden State Warriors -250 on the moneyline, Grade: B for solid win probability but constrained value at this price point. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 17/01/2026 09:52([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/standings))

LaMelo Ball powers a Hornets offense scoring 116.6 points per game while allowing 116.7, and their last meeting with Golden State in Charlotte exploded into a 132-125 shootout that showcased Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel trading buckets with Curry and a Warriors squad that drilled 24 threes. On the other side, Golden State is averaging 115.8 points with a positive differential, has won seven of its last ten, and is increasingly leaning into the Curry–Butler on-ball partnership and floor spacing from Moses Moody and Podziemski, even as wing stopper Gui Santos (ankle) and shooter Seth Curry (sciatica) remain sidelined. With both teams past the 40-game mark and trending toward high-paced, perimeter-oriented offenses — the Warriors pushing to climb the West playoff ladder and the Hornets embracing variance to stay competitive in the East — the ingredients are here for another high-possession, whistle-heavy game that can clear a lofty number, so I like Over 233.5 at -110, Grade: B- because the total is already aggressive but still offers some edge given their offensive profiles and recent head-to-head scoring. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 17/01/2026 09:52([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/standings))

Jimmy Butler III gives Golden State a strong two-way wing presence that Charlotte struggled to contain in the 132-125 matchup in Charlotte, and with the Warriors now 15-6 at home on a two-game winning streak while the Hornets sit 8-14 on the road and just 4-6 over their last 10, the situational edge at Chase Center is pronounced. LaMelo Ball, Miller and Bridges have enough scoring punch — Bridges in particular has posted over 20 points per game against Golden State in recent meetings — but Charlotte’s frontcourt and wing depth have been stretched at various points by injuries to rotation pieces like Grant Williams, Josh Green and Tre Mann, putting more pressure on their stars to keep pace across 48 minutes. Given the Warriors’ +2.6 net rating, their position in the congested Western playoff race, and the way their offense can snowball at home behind Curry, Butler, Podziemski and Kuminga against a Hornets defense that has been near league average at best, I’m willing to lay the points with Golden State Warriors -6.5 at -110, Grade: B- as a better risk-reward profile than the moneyline while still aligning with a likely multi-possession home win. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 17/01/2026 09:52([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/standings))