Hornets vs. Celtics Picks and Prediction – 4/11/2025

Charlotte Hornets (19-61) vs. Boston Celtics (59-21)
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Location: TD Garden, Boston, MA
TV: NBA League Pass

Previous Games:

  • Hornets: Lost 5 straight games

  • Celtics: Coming off a 96-76 loss to Orlando (rested starters)

Head-to-Head:

Boston has dominated this matchup, including recent home blowouts. However, with their playoff seed locked in, the Celtics are expected to rest multiple starters again. Charlotte, while outmatched on paper, could be catching Boston at the right time.

Charlotte Hornets Breakdown:

The Hornets have been dreadful, losing 9 of their last 10 while averaging just 103.0 points per game and giving up 117.0 per game. Their offense runs through young guards like Nick Smith Jr., who just dropped 28 points against Toronto. Charlotte lacks depth and consistency but may benefit from Boston’s lack of urgency tonight.

Key Players:

  • Nick Smith Jr.: 28 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds last game

  • Jusuf Nurkic: 26 points, 9 rebounds

Boston Celtics Breakdown:

Boston has been elite all season, but they have nothing left to play for in terms of seeding. In their last game, none of the starters played, and it showed in a low-scoring loss. Jaylen Brown is ruled out, and the rest of the stars may get similar treatment. Boston still has strong depth, but without their top unit, their dominance drops off.

Key Players:

  • Payton Pritchard: 15 points last game

  • Neemias Queta: 11 points, 7 rebounds

Betting Trends:

Charlotte Hornets:

  • 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games

  • The total has gone OVER in 4 of last 5

  • 0-5 SU in last 5 games

Boston Celtics:

  • 12-2 SU in their last 14 games

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of last 7 vs. Charlotte

  • 8-2 SU in their last 10 home games

Exact Score Prediction:

Boston Celtics 111 – Charlotte Hornets 96

Our Best Bet:

Charlotte Hornets +19.5 (-110)

This line is inflated due to Boston's season-long dominance, but it doesn’t reflect the current situation. With Jaylen Brown out and the Celtics likely resting starters again, this is more of a second-unit game. Charlotte may be bad, but they’re playing guys who are fighting for future minutes, and they could sneak inside this massive number. Expect Boston to win, but not blow the doors off.

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