The Cleveland Cavaliers bring their blistering 12-game winning streak to Charlotte's Spectrum Center, where they'll face a Hornets squad that's dropped eight straight and is searching for answers.
Cleveland's dynamic offense, led by Donovan Mitchell's 24.4 points per game and the league's top-scoring attack at 123.2 points, presents a daunting challenge for a Charlotte defense that's given up 115+ points in four of their last five outings.
The Hornets, despite LaMelo Ball's recent offensive surge with 20+ points in three of his last five games, will need to find something special to avoid a fourth straight loss to the Cavaliers this season.
Charlotte Hornets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Charlotte Hornets vs Cleveland Cavaliers matchup, our predictive model gives the Cavs an 85% chance of defeating the Hornets.
Pre-game probabilities
Cleveland Cavaliers
Moneyline
Win %
85%
15%
Charlotte Hornets
Cleveland Cavaliers: 85% win probability
- League-leading win record (52-10 overall record)
- Elite defensive efficiency (6920 points against, 2nd best in league)
- Dominant current form (Perfect WWWWW in last 5 games)
Charlotte Hornets: 15% win probability
- Poor overall record (14-47, second-worst in Eastern Conference)
- Struggling offense (6415 points scored, lowest in the East)
- Terrible recent form (0-5 in last five games, LLLLL)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model brings together insights from top NBA experts. Instead of searching through countless expert analyses online, you can rely on our predictions to capture the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing expert picks, data, and trends, while our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. These confidence levels are then averaged to generate an 'expert opinion' win probability—providing a data-driven reflection of the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NBA analysts..
| Charlotte Hornets | Cleveland Cavaliers | |
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Charlotte Hornets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers preview
The red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers roll into Charlotte's Spectrum Center riding an incredible 12-game winning streak that's left the rest of the NBA in their wake.
Donovan Mitchell has been the spark plug for Cleveland's offensive juggernaut, fresh off dropping 41 against Boston and consistently lighting up scoreboards with his dynamic playmaking.
The struggling Hornets, meanwhile, can't seem to catch a break - they've dropped eight straight games and have been getting blown out by 15+ points with alarming regularity.
LaMelo Ball's been a lone bright spot for Charlotte, putting up 28 points in their last outing and averaging 26.2 per game, but he'll have his hands full against the league's top-scoring offense.
The Cavs have had Charlotte's number this season, winning all three matchups by double digits while putting up video game numbers on offense - they're averaging a league-best 123.2 points per game.
Cleveland's dynamic duo of Evan Mobley and De'Andre Hunter has been giving opponents fits, with Hunter particularly enjoying matchups against the Hornets this year, averaging 21 points in their two meetings.
While the Hornets' Mark Williams has shown flashes of brilliance with his efficient shooting, Charlotte's 28th-ranked offense just hasn't had enough firepower to keep pace with elite teams.
This matchup pits the NBA's most explosive offense against one of its most vulnerable defenses - the Hornets have given up 115+ points in four of their last five games, which could spell trouble against this Cleveland squad that's firing on all cylinders.
Charlotte Hornets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers form
Charlotte Hornets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers head to head
Charlotte Hornets
50%
Cleveland Cavaliers
50%
Jan 5, 2025
Cleveland Cavaliers
115 : 105
Charlotte Hornets
Dec 7, 2024
Charlotte Hornets
102 : 116
Cleveland Cavaliers
Nov 17, 2024
Cleveland Cavaliers
128 : 114
Charlotte Hornets
Apr 14, 2024
Cleveland Cavaliers
110 : 120
Charlotte Hornets
Mar 27, 2024
Charlotte Hornets
118 : 111
Cleveland Cavaliers
Mar 25, 2024
Cleveland Cavaliers
115 : 92
Charlotte Hornets
