Warriors vs Hornets

Stephen Curry and the Warriors head into Charlotte on a one-game winning streak after a 120-107 road win over Brooklyn and an overall 4-4 stretch in their last eight, while the Hornets just had a brief two-game surge ended by a 123-113 loss to Milwaukee. Golden State is relatively healthy at the top of the roster with Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green available, whereas Charlotte’s depth is compromised with centers Ryan Kalkbrenner and Mason Plumlee sidelined and Miles Bridges plus standout rookie Kon Knueppel both dealing with recent ankle injuries, leaving their frontcourt and wing rotation thin. Stephen Curry has historically torched the Hornets, averaging 25.3 points, 6.9 assists and a 17-7 record against them, and Butler has also produced efficiently versus Charlotte, while LaMelo Ball’s strong head-to-head numbers against the Warriors haven’t translated into many wins for an 11-21 squad. With Golden State’s superior shot creation, late-game execution, and Charlotte’s injury issues and defensive inconsistency, I like Warriors -250 on the moneyline, grading it a B+ for strong win probability but modest standalone value. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 31/12/2025 10:12([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/gs/golden-state-warriors))

LaMelo Ball’s Hornets have quietly become an offense-first team, averaging 115.5 points per game and playing at a tempo that has produced recent totals of 225 and 236 against Orlando and Milwaukee, while their shaky defense continues to concede frequent 120-plus outings. Golden State brings comparable scoring punch at 115.1 points per game with Curry and Butler leading a versatile perimeter attack, and their last two games have landed at 227 and 268 total points (the latter in overtime), underscoring how quickly Warriors contests can escalate into shootouts. Ball’s career averages of 18.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6.2 assists in six games against the Warriors highlight his comfort pushing pace in this matchup, and Charlotte’s compromised frontcourt depth without Kalkbrenner and Plumlee plus Bridges’ ankle concern points to more small-ball lineups, extra spacing and lighter rim protection. With both offenses humming, defenses below league average and a matinee national-TV stage that should still feature plenty of threes and free throws, I lean to Over 234.5 at -110, grading it a B- given the lofty number and variance inherent in high totals. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 31/12/2025 10:12([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/gs/golden-state-warriors))

Jimmy Butler’s two-way presence alongside Curry gives Golden State a clear late-game edge against a Hornets team that just lost by double digits at home to the Bucks and continues to lean heavily on LaMelo Ball for half-court creation. The Warriors have shown they can separate from weaker defenses on the road, as seen in their comfortable wins at Brooklyn and Chicago this month, and their top-end lineup remains intact apart from depth pieces like L.J. Cryer (day-to-day) and Seth Curry (out). Charlotte, meanwhile, is trying to cover a -70 point differential across recent losses to Milwaukee, Cleveland and Detroit while navigating injuries to Kalkbrenner and Plumlee in the middle and Bridges’ ankle scare, all of which undercut their ability to protect the paint and finish defensive possessions on the glass. Given Curry’s long track record of success against Charlotte, Butler’s historically strong production versus the Hornets, and the reality that an 11-21 squad with limited rim protection is catching only 6.5 points, I’m laying the wood with Warriors -6.5 at -105 and grading it a B: decent value on a talent and health mismatch, though backdoor risk in a high-total environment keeps it shy of elite status. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 31/12/2025 10:12([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/gs/golden-state-warriors))