Spread +4.5 • Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets +4.5 is the sort of bet that says, “I don’t need you to win, just don’t embarrass me.” They won’t necessarily dominate, but they’ll make this inconvenient for Boston and keep it within reach. It’s a tidy way to profit off expectations of a comfortable favorite without overpaying. The spread effectively expects a narrow favorite performance, meaning the Hornets are projected to keep the margin small and the game to be decided in the second half.