“March Madness Showdown: Can the Hornets Sting the Raptors in a Must-Win Clash?”

As we gear up for an exhilarating clash on March 28, the spotlight turns to Scotiabank Arena where the struggling Charlotte Hornets (18-54) take on the Toronto Raptors (26-47). With a lackluster record of 7-28 on the road, the Hornets are desperate to turn their fortunes around. On the flip side, the Raptors are attempting to build momentum after a shaky start, recently notching two consecutive wins. This matchup is especially intriguing as Charlotte triumphed in their earlier encounter this season, winning 138-133, setting the stage for what could be an unpredictable showdown. Buckle up, because we’ve got you covered with all the essential details from game timings, odds, and predictions, right down to insights from our experienced analysts. Make sure you don’t miss a beat—this is one game you’ll want to watch closely! LEARN MORE

– Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Hornets & Raptors game:

Game details & how to watch Hornets vs. Raptors live today

• Date: Friday, March 28, 2025
• Time: 7:30PM EST
• Site: Scotiabank Arena
• City: Toronto, ON
• Network/Streaming:

“Toronto is back on their feet with a few consecutive wins, while Charlotte is the opposite, but I couldn’t lay the points or take the points with either side in this matchup. Charlotte won the only meeting and it came in October. Neither of these teams is in good shape, but Toronto is in better shape, so I would take the Raptors ML in a parlay, but ultimately pass on betting this game.”

Game odds for Hornets vs. Raptors

It’s Friday, March 28, and the Charlotte Hornets (18-54) and Toronto Raptors (26-47) are all set to square off from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

• Odds: Hornets (+194), Raptors (-235)
• Spread: Raptors -5.5
• Over/Under: 216 points

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)

Expert picks & predictions for Friday’s Hornets vs. Raptors game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Raptors as ML parlay piece:

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.That gives the Hornets an implied team point total of 107.06, and the Raptors 109.93.- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)The latest odds as of Friday:Toronto won the past two games after losing four straight to enter this matchup. Charlotte has lost three straight games and five of the past six.

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Toronto Raptors on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Charlotte Hornets at +5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 216.

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Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Hornets vs. Raptors on Friday

• The Raptors are on a 7-game win streak at home to the Hornets
• 5 of the Raptors’ last 6 games (83%) have stayed under the Total
• The Raptors are 23-14 ATS at home this season
• The Raptors have won 15 of their last 18 home games against the Hornets

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.The Hornets are currently 7-28 on the road with a point differential of -8, while the Raptors have a 4-6 record in their last ten games at home. Charlotte won the only meetings this season 138-133 on October 30. This is the second of three meetings.Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!