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Hornets go for 5th straight win Friday at Thunder
By: Brian Graham - StatFox
Published: 12/26/2014  at  6:02:00 AM
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CHARLOTTE HORNETS (10-19)

at OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (14-16)

Tip-off: Friday, 8:05 p.m. ET
Line: Oklahoma City -6., Total: 196

The Hornets look to extend their win streak to five when they visit the Kevin Durant-less Thunder on Friday night.

Charlotte has won four straight games (SU and ATS) with relative ease, prevailing by an average score of 108 to 90. The club also has a four-game ATS road win streak, including a 108-101 victory over 6-point favorite Milwaukee on Tuesday. Oklahoma City ended a four-game ATS losing skid (1-3 SU) with an impressive 114-106 Christmas Day win at San Antonio. The team emerged victorious despite being without star SF Kevin Durant (22.4 PPG) for the fourth straight game because of a sprained ankle. Durant, the 2013-14 league MVP, is not likely to return to the court on Friday. While the Hornets are 3-10 SU (but 7-5 ATS) on the road this season, the Thunder are 7-7 SU (10-4 ATS) at home. Charlotte is 10-1 ATS in December road games in the past two seasons, while Oklahoma City is 22-7 ATS at home after a combined 215+ points in the past three seasons. The Thunder have won seven straight meetings (6-1 ATS) in this series in dominating fashion, prevailing by an average of 21.4 PPG. They are also 9-1 SU (7-3 ATS) in the past 10 home games versus the Hornets. Although Charlotte will likely be without SGs Lance Stephenson (groin) and Jannero Pargo (back) for this game, C Al Jefferson (groin) has been upgraded to probable. In addition to Durant being doubtful, Oklahoma City will still be without PF Mitch McGary (tibia).

Can the Hornets extend their win streak in a tough environment? For the answer, connect to The Platinum Sheet for all the Expert picks throughout the entire 2014-15 season. While StatFox Forecaster has a strong 57% ATS record (78-58-1) in featured games this season, the five experts have also done well recently with a collective 58% ATS mark (56-40-2) in NBA Best Bets since Nov. 29. StatFox Gary is 68% ATS (13-6) during this timeframe to give him a 60% ATS (25-17) in NBA Best Bets this season, while StatFox Brian is 67% ATS (14-7) since Nov. 29 to improve to a 56% ATS record (24-19) in NBA Best Bets this season. Also during this surge, StatFox Dave is 58% ATS (11-8-1).

Charlotte's recent offensive surge (107.8 PPG on 47% FG and 41% threes in past four games) has been surprising considering its mediocre season numbers of 96.5 PPG (22nd in NBA) on 43.6% FG (25th in league) and 32.8% threes (also 25th in NBA). Defensively, the Hornets have held the past four opponents to 90.0 PPG on 42% FG and 31% threes, which is considerably better than the season defense numbers of 100.2 PPG allowed (16th in league) on 46.3% FG (24th in NBA) and 37.1% threes (also 24th in league). C Al Jefferson (19.1 PPG, 8.2 RPG) has played very well recently with 20.2 PPG (56% FG) and 9.6 RPG in the past five games, and has averaged a strong 17.4 PPG (50% FG) and 8.3 RPG in his career versus the Thunder. Last season, Jefferson pumped in 20.5 PPG (53% FG) and 9.0 RPG in the two defeats to Oklahoma City. PG Kemba Walker (16.9 PPG, 5.7 APG, 4.0 RPG) has not enjoyed this matchup in his career, averaging only 7.8 PPG on 26% FG (2-of-11 threes) with 4.6 APG in five meetings with the Thunder. But he has been outstanding during the team's four-game win streak, averaging 23.8 PPG (50% FG, 44% threes, 85% FT) and 1.8 SPG with 24 assists and only six turnovers. SG Gary Neal (11.6 PPG) will need to find his shot with SG Lance Stephenson (10.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 4.8 APG) likely sidelined for the fifth straight game. Neal is coming off an 0-for-9 night in Milwaukee, dropping his shooting rate to 33% FG (20-for-61) over the past six contests.

Oklahoma City's offense has really struggled this season, scoring only 97.7 PPG (21st in NBA) on 44.4% FG (22nd in league) and 32.5% threes (28th in NBA). Despite the lack of offense, the Thunder's defense ranks second in the league in points allowed (96.2 PPG), second in shooting defense (42.9% FG) and third in defending the three-point shot (31.0% threes). These numbers have been even more impressive at home, where visitors have scored only 91.7 PPG on 40.4% FG and 29.7% threes. PG Russell Westbrook (28.6 PPG, 7.4 APG, 5.8 RPG, 2.2 SPG) has really picked up the scoring slack during the absence of Kevin Durant in the past four games, averaging 33.5 PPG, 8.8 APG, 6.3 RPG and 3.0 SPG. The one negative this season has been three-point shooting (28%), as he's made only 1-of-13 threes in the past four games. But Westbrook was nearly perfect from the floor in the one meeting with Charlotte last season, scoring 26 points on 10-of-12 FG (4-of-5 threes) with five assists and two steals. In 10 career games in this matchup, Westbrook averages 16.2 PPG on 48% FG (38% threes) with 6.8 APG. PG Reggie Jackson (16.0 PPG, 5.4 APG, 4.6 RPG) has also picked up his scoring in the past four games with 17.8 PPG (50% FG, 7-of-14 threes), 5.3 RPG and 4.5 APG. He made only 11-of-33 FG (33%) in last season's series with the Hornets, but still wound up with 13.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 3.0 APG in the two games. PF Serge Ibaka (14.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.4 BPG) also had a strong two-game series versus Charlotte last season with 13.5 PPG on 69% FG (11-of-16) with 9.5 RPG and 2.5 BPG. Ibaka is coming off a 21-point, nine-rebound performance on Thursday to help beat the Spurs.


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