Cavaliers vs Hornets: Which Underdog Will Shock the NBA Tonight?
The Charlotte Hornets are hitting the home court fresh off an impressive five-game road grind, locking horns with the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight. Now, here’s the kicker — the Cavs have been in a bit of a defensive pickle, especially beyond the arc. And frankly, with their perimeter defense near the bottom of the league, it wouldn’t be shocking if the Hornets edged out a win. Watching this clash, I can’t help but feel the momentum’s swinging in Charlotte’s favor, especially given their recent offensive surge and the absence of Darius Garland on Cleveland’s side. The stage is set for a thrilling showdown, with sharpshooters like LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel ready to put on a show. Curious about the nitty-gritty predictions and betting angles? Stick around—there’s plenty to unpack here. LEARN MORE
The Charlotte Hornets return from a successful five-game road swing to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Cavs’ perimeter defense is struggling, and my Cavaliers vs. Hornets predictions expect the home team to sneak away with a victory.
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Read on for my NBA picks for Wednesday, January 21.
Cavaliers vs Hornets prediction
Cavaliers vs Hornets best bet: Hornets moneyline (+120)
The Charlotte Hornets will win tonight because they present the most dangerous perimeter matchup for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ biggest defensive flaw: their 30th-ranked 3-point defense.
Charlotte owns elite offensive efficiency over its last 10 games and is built to exploit that weakness with Kon Knueppel and LaMelo Ball spacing the floor.
While Cleveland likely controls the paint, it can’t match Charlotte’s volume shooting on either end of the floor.
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Add in Darius Garland’s absence, and momentum from the Hornets’ huge upset over Denver can overwhelm a tired defense that struggles to close out on shooters late.
Cavaliers vs Hornets same-game parlay
As previously mentioned, the Cavaliers’ perimeter defense has struggled, and they’ll have their hands full tonight with Ball and Knueppel.
Ball has averaged 3.7 made threes in his past 10 contests, while Knueppel is at 2.6 over that same stretch.
Cavaliers vs Hornets SGP
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Hornets moneyline
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LaMelo Ball Over 3.5 threes
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Kon Knueppel Over 2.5 threes
Our “from downtown” SGP: What’s the Buzz?
Hornets forward Moussa Diabate has become a willing passer out of the double-team and has dished at least two assists in seven of his previous 10 games.
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Cavs guard Jaylon Tyson is seeing 30+ minutes with Garland on the shelf and has scored 16+ points in six straight games with at least 30 minutes.
Cavaliers vs Hornets SGP
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Hornets moneyline
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LaMelo Ball Over 3.5 threes
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Kon Knueppel Over 2.5 threes
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Moussa Diabate Over 1.5 assists
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Jaylon Tyson Over 15.5 points
Cavaliers vs Hornets odds
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Spread: Cavaliers -2.5 (-110) | Hornets +2.5 (-110)
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Moneyline: Cavaliers -140 | Hornets +120
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Over/Under: Over 236.5 (-110) | Under 236.5 (-110)
Cavaliers vs Hornets betting trend to know
The Cleveland Cavaliers have only hit the Moneyline in 26 of their last 50 games (-30.55 Units / -20% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Hornets.
How to watch Cavaliers vs Hornets
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Location |
Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC |
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Date |
Wednesday, January 21, 2026 |
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Tip-off |
7:00 p.m. ET |
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TV |
ESPN |
Cavaliers vs Hornets latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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