The Los Angeles Lakers are 1-1 since Luka Doncic’s arrival. The Slovenian superstar scored a total of 30 points in those two games, which is way below his standard. The good news is that he’s got a very good chance to up his numbers on Wednesday, February 19, when his team will welcome the Charlotte Hornets at Crypto.com Arena in LA.
Charlotte Hornets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Odds
| Spread | Odds |
|---|---|
| Charlotte Hornets +13 | -110 |
| Los Angeles Lakers -13 | -110 |
| Moneyline | Odds |
|---|---|
| Charlotte Hornets | +550 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | -769 |
| Points Total | Odds |
|---|---|
| Over 223.5 | -110 |
| Under 223.5 | -110 |
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California
- Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2025
- Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: NBA League Pass
Can Charlotte Hornets Stop Luka Doncic & Co?
The Charlotte Hornets are coming to California as 13-point underdogs. Their moneyline odds are +550, suggesting that bookies think their chance of winning on February 19 is very slim.
However, the LA Lakers have already slipped once against big underdogs. This happened on February 12 when we saw them lose 131:119 to the Utah Jazz, who were +320 underdogs before the game.
This gives the Hornets some hope they can stage an upset. The trouble, however, is that these guys have been completely out of shape. They’re 13-39 overall with four losses in their last five NBA games.
Time for Luka Doncic’s First 20+ Pts Game with the Lakers
Luka Doncic made his LA Lakers debut on February 10 when his team beat Utah at Crypto.com Arena. The final score was 132:113, with Doncic scoring 14 points.
Two days later, they met again, this time in Utah. The Lakers lost that game, but Doncic had a slightly better performance, scoring 16 points.
Sure, it’s better, but it’s still nowhere near as good as Luka got us used to. This guy’s average on the season is around 28 points per game, while one season before, his average was 32.7 PPG.
Knowing this, it’s only logical to assume that he’s going to do better. But even if he doesn’t, the Lakers shouldn’t worry much. The thing is that they’ve got plenty of other amazing players, including LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and others.
Charlotte Hornets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Prediction
We think it’s time for Luka Doncic to start showing the Lakers’ fans what he’s made of. Our prediction is that he’s going to score way more points than in the last two games. As a result, his team should be able to get a blowout win over Charlotte and cover the 13-point spread.
Pick: Los Angeles Lakers -13