The NBA is just a few days old and we’ve already seen two teams blow 20-point leads. That happens more often than you’d probably imagine, and this year I’m making a point to live bet on the team that is losing big. Last night the 76ers looked awful, but they came back in the second half of the game and covered the short spread. I’m sure it will happen somewhere today as well. There are a ton of great games to choose from, but I’ve got my eye on the Hawks and Hornets game.
The Atlanta Hawks are one of the teams that have a bit of excitement behind them coming into this year. They revamped their roster quite a bit over the past few years, but now it seems like they have decided to build their team around Jalen Johnson. It also helps that they have two really good defenders – Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels. The team moved on from Trae Young last year, who was a facilitator and scorer for them, but also a parking cone on defense, and it never seemed like the team worked with him.
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Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) shoots against the Orlando Magic during the first half of an NBA basketball game on March 16, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Mike Stewart/AP)
This team is now a little more athletic and younger, but still grounded with a couple of key veterans like CJ McCollum. In their opening game against the Magic, I was most impressed with their shot selection. As a team, they shot 50% from the field and 40% from deep. You really can’t expect that to happen consistently, but they did create the good shots. Defensively, they really weren’t impressive. They still gave up 125 points to the Magic, which is a lot for an Orlando team that isn’t known for being offensively efficient.
The Charlotte Hornets remain one of those teams that I really can’t understand. They have been terrible for years, and the one time they sniffed success, they decided it was time to trade away their (arguably) best player. They sent LaMelo Ball over to the Timberwolves, but that’s probably because they have Coby White, and they seem to want to invest in Kon Knueppel. Unfortunately for them, Knueppel is out with an injury right now, so the team is missing a major player.
Brandon Miller of the Charlotte Hornets handles the ball during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies during a preseason game at FedExForum on Oct. 16, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (Getty Images)
In their first game, they unveiled their new-look roster and beat the Brooklyn Nets on the road. This team is comprised of multiple role players, but right now, their biggest semblance of a star is Brandon Miller. No offense to Miller, but if he is responsible for leading the team for multiple games, you’re probably asking for trouble. I do think the Hornets are going to be hovering around the play-in positioning for the postseason, but I really don’t think they’ve improved from last year.
Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) celebrates a three-point shot against the Orlando Magic during the second half of an NBA basketball game on March 16, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
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I really don’t enjoy taking favorites on the road in the NBA. Role players don’t play as well on the road as they do at home, but in this one, I’m willing to make an exception. The Hawks are the better team, have a better offense, and I think they should win this one. They do play at home tomorrow, against a tougher opponent, so this could be a trap spot, but I’m going to take them on the moneyline at -135. I do think they know how to win, and I think the Hornets are trying to figure things out.
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