Game Time: 7:30 PM ET, Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022 

Venue:   TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts 

Where to Watch:  NBA League Pass

DraftKings:  Spread: NL

BetMGM:  Spread:  NL

VegasInsider:  Spread: NL

WynnBet: Spread:  NL

Hornets: 28-23, 7th place Eastern Conference

Celtics: 27-25, 9th place Eastern Conference

Are you ready for 2/2/22? The NBA is.  The NBA is giving us a full slate of Wednesday games that are looking to be wildly competitive.  Gamblers love number oddities.  2/2/22 is one of those oddities that are viewed as downright lucky.  The Eastern Conference battle between the #7 Charlotte Hornets and the #9 Boston Celtics should have a clear winner once we look at these numbers.  The two teams are close in the standings and dominated by two stars each.  The Hornets have the young duo of PG LaMelo Ball and SF Miles Bridges who are poised to take over the league if the team could ever get them some above-average play from the big man spot.  The Celtics have the older duo of stars (that’s right Celtics fans we can not say these vets are young anymore) SG Jaylen Brown and SF Jayson Tatum who have BEEN poised to take over the league, but the Celtics have so far failed to get them a real quality big man to balance it out.  Lord knows the Celtics have tried a half dozen different starting point guards over the last five years without being able to make one stick… or being able to pull off a big trade that would simply solve the never ending mystery.  This game is mostly a role player moratorium… which star duo and team has the better set of role players around them?... Which team can blend experienced players with young athletic guys to lift their duo to higher highs as we approach the last third of the season?... Also we are up against a quickly looming trade deadline… which team will learn something from this game and at long last make that move for one Indiana Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis?… because that is what they are each missing.  

The Charlotte Hornets have 5 wins over their last ten games.  It is shocking how good they can look some nights beating the Los Angeles Lakers 117-114, or the Philadelphia 76ers 109 - 98… and how humdrum they can look some nights while losing to the Los Angeles Clippers 115 - 90, or the Toronto Raptors 125 - 113.  It’s a constant up and down.  That is sort of a marker of having a young star. LaMelo Ball is 19.5 ppg, 7.7 apg, and 7.2 rpg… That is max money extension if he is still doing it in year 3-4… Let alone if he has improved (which he should).... But he is still a young player. Young Players have up and down seasons because everything is new.  The grind is longer than they expected, the party after the game in a strange city is intoxicating (literally).  It is tough to be a rookie and be consistent.  By year three young players will tell you whether they have been putting in the work and attention.  SF Miles Bridges is in year 4 and he has been putting in the work he leads Charlotte in scoring at 20.2 ppg while pulling down 7.3 rebounds and dishing 3.5 assists.  These guys do have some help from role players SG Terry Rozier and SF Gordon Hayward, both of whom are former Boston Celtics.  The injury list for the Hornets right now has three important names on it… they may struggle in this one.

The Boston Celtics have 6 wins over their last 10 games.  The best win of the bunch was the last Celtics game where Boston beat the East’s #1 team the Miami Heat 122 - 92.  Even if the Heat were missing key starters (they were) it’s still an important mood lifter for a team looking to climb the standings.  The trepidation going into a game against the Hornets is of course the Hornets beating the Celtics 111 - 102 just 7 games ago.  This time they get the Hornets at home which should help.  The Celtics have a big decision looming… They drafted Center Robert Williams III with a late first round pick in 2018… his statline now is 9.8 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2 ast, 2 blk per game.  That is certainly a fantastic set of numbers… but seeing as Williams, Tatum and Brown have now spent 4 full seasons together… is it working?  Is he the glue that helps them win or is he the glue that keeps them from transcending to the next level.  Playing next to Robert Williams is Al Horford at power forward who could get similar numbers if he was moved to the center spot (less blocks, more assists)... There are plenty of teams that would give the Celtics a good package if not 1 solid star for Williams and Smart (which would enable them to move PG Peyton Pritchard to the starting lineup)?  IDK… it may be worth it to finally “go for it all” while Tatum and Brown are playing this well but not contending.

Today, Big Al looks for a great day, and is back on the NBA hardwood with this NBA High Roller Winner out of a 57-34 ATS angle. Don't miss out on the roundball $$$$. Get on board right now! Go get it! Get Big Al’s picks right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers. NCAAF, NFL, MLB, college football… get positive value from all your bets! Expert picks!  Fun fact… winning a wager is much better than making a wager!

The Hornets are 28-23 on the season, but 30-21 ATS.  They have logged 26 Overs, 24 Unders and 1 Push.  They are 14-15 in road games.

The Celtics are 27-25 on the season, but 26-25-1 ATS.  They have notched 22 Overs, 29 Unders and 1 push.  They are 17-10 in home games.

The Hornets are 1st in scoring with 114.5 ppg, 20th in rebounds with 44.3 per game, and 2nd in AST/TO ratio with 2.1.  They are shooting 13th in FG%, 4th in 3PT%, and 29th in free throws.  The Defensive end is shockingly bad where they rank 28th while allowing opponents 114.6 ppg.  They make every game a track meet… scoring fast and in bunches while allowing the other team to do the same.

The Celtics are 19th in scoring with 108.0 ppg, 4th in rebounds with 46.2 per game, and 21st in AST/TO ratio with 1.6. They are shooting 23rd in FG%, 22nd in 3PT%, and 2nd in FT%.  On defense they excel with a ranking of 4th while allowing 104.6 ppg from opponents.   

Our prediction for Wednesday, February 2nd is….  Celtics 118 - Hornets 100

The Celtics should take this game easy and cover the spread easily.  The Celtics play quality defense and the Hornets are missing 2-3 guys who are simply scorers.  Defeating the Lakers last game was the lift the Hornets needed… while losing to the Celtics will be the letdown that teams led by young stars are susceptible to.

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Boston is 6-2 ATS versus Charlotte the last 3 seasons.

Boston is 3-1 ATS versus Charlotte at Boston the last 3 seasons.

Charlotte has logged 10 Overs and 3 Unders after a loss of 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.

Hornets: SF Kelly Oubre Jr (ankle) Quest ** SF Gordon Hayward (foot) Out ** PF Jalen McDaniels (ankle) Out 

Celtics: SG PJ Dozier (knee) Quest ** C Bol Bol (foot) Out

Starting Lineups

Hornets: PF Miles Bridges, SF Cody Martin, C Mason Plumlee, PG LaMelo Ball, SG Terry Rozier

Celtics: SF Jayson Tatum, PF Al Horford, C Robert Williams III, SG Jaylen Brown, PG Marcus Smart

Hornets

Points: Miles Bridges 20.2

Assists: LaMelo Ball 7.7

Rebounds: Mason Plumlee 7.4

Steals: LaMelo Ball 1.5

Blocks: PJ Washington 1

Celtics

Points: Jayson Tatum 26

Assists: Marcus Smart 5.5

Rebounds: Robert Williams 9.5

Steals: Marcus Smart 1.9

Blocks: Robert Williams III 2.1

Hornets: James Borrego

Celtics Ime Udoka