Charlotte Hornets vs. Brooklyn Nets Prediction & Best Bets (December 1st, 2025)
The Charlotte Hornets visit the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night, giving NBA fans a battle between two struggling franchises. While these two teams only have a combined nine wins, they do have some exciting talent hitting the hardwood.
This is the exact type of game that can provide compelling value to sports bettors, as neither of these teams is technically all that interested in winning, while they both field suspect defenses.
That contributes to value with the underdog and the game total. The early Hornets vs. Nets odds have Charlotte as light 4.5-point favorites despite this game being in Brooklyn, while the game has a healthy 231.5 total.
Bettors need some news for this one, as Michael Porter Jr. has been missing time for the Nets and several Hornets players have been in and out of the lineup. I’ll get you up to speed on the latest pricing and key matchups, along with my best bets and ultimate Hornets vs. Nets prediction.
Game Details
- Matchup: Charlotte Hornets (6-14) vs. Brooklyn Nets (3-16)
- Date & Time: Monday, December 1st at 6:30 pm (7:30 pm ET)
- Venue: Barclays Center in Brooklyn NY
- How to Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast, NBA League Pass. and Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network
Early Season Performance & Trends
Charlotte Hornets
Things have gone about as expected for the Charlotte Hornets, who are just 6-14 through their first 20 games. It’s been so bad that there is already chatter involving potential LaMelo Ball trade rumors.
The star point guard publicly laughed the rumors off, though, and it will admittedly be interesting to see what the Hornets can do now that they are finally getting healthy again.
Charlotte remains a talented team, and a 6-14 record really isn’t all that bad considering how many health issues they’ve dealt with on the year.
Overall, this is actually a pretty talented roster that is capable of exploding on offense at times. They have struggled with defense and injuries; however, while their youth plays into general inconsistency and failure to close out games.
Brooklyn Nets
Things are even worse for the Nets, who are just 3-16 in the Eastern Conference. They have more of an excuse, of course, as they gutted their roster not that long ago and are quite clearly in the midst of a full-blown rebuild.
Cam Thomas was supposed to be a big part of the rebuilding process, but he’s only played eight games. Brooklyn has seen recently acquired forward Michael Porter Jr. blossom under their watch; however, while some of the rookies they brought in this past summer have shown promise.
Nobody was expecting much from the Nets this year, but it’s been nice to see them strangely competitive at times. They get a huge offensive boost when both Cam Thomas and MPJ are in the lineup, but without them they predictably look like a team that should be (and is) 3-16.
Head‑to‑Head / Historical Context
The Hornets and Nets have waged war on the court 130 times during the regular season. The Nets hold a 70-60 series edge, all-time, while the Hornets won the only meeting this year in a fun 136-117 shootout.
Brooklyn had the edge last year, as they won the season series (3-1), closing out two defensive battles and winning another game 116-115.
Key Matchup Breakdown
When he’s at full strength, the offense flows through LaMelo Ball. He has the handles to break down any defense, and the outside shooting to make them pay for sulking.
Ball is not the most efficient player, but his elite playmaking and scoring (19 ppg, 8.4 apg) make him a star worth building around. He hasn’t been healthy consistently, forcing the Hornets to turn to Miles Bridges (22 ppg) and rookie swingman Kon Knueppel (18.3 ppg).
Knueppel has been must-see TV, as his elite inside/outside game keeps defenses guessing, and he relies on stellar fundamentals. He’s been a force from long range, playing a key role in a Charlotte offense that averages the 7th most three-point attempts and the 9th most three-point makes per game.
Charlotte is not great at consistently getting to the line, but they have a collection of scorers who get the job done at the charity stripe (83%) – good for 4th in The Association.
This is a young and maturing offense, but it’s one bursting with upside.
Brooklyn hasn’t been quite as cohesive as Charlotte, as they rely more on isolation scoring. They do have two very good independent scorers in Michael Porter Jr. (24.3 ppg) and Cam Thomas (21.2 ppg).
MPJ has been the main guy with Thomas sidelined lately, while the Nets as a collective turn to major volume from long range. While not an efficient team nor one that shares the ball overly well, they do hoist from long range at the 6th highest rate and rank 10th in made threes per contest.
Brooklyn also gets to the job at a league-average rate, although their conversion rate is below average.
This is a do-or-die team from long range, and they’re overly reliant on their two best stars. However, when MPJ is on fire they have a chance to hang tight with superior teams.
The Hornets and Nets both could end up playing faster once they get back to full strength, but currently, they aren’t fast compared to the rest of the league. Charlotte is at least a middle-of-the-pack team in terms of pace (17th), but the Nets rank 27th.
Both teams are very poor on the defensive end of the court. Brooklyn is the second-worst team in the NBA in terms of defensive efficiency, while the Hornets (24th) are not much better.
- Free Throw Battle: The Hornets don’t get to the line at will, but they sure can knock their freebies down. Brooklyn, meanwhile, gets there plenty, but isn’t always reliable at the charity stripe. The team that can be more consistent at the free-throw line could have a big edge in this matchup.
- Let it Fly: Both of these teams love to launch it from long range. Of course, neither is super efficient, and they rely on volume. The team that can hit more outside shots will naturally have a huge advantage based on how each side plays.
- Crash the Glass: The rebounding edge goes to the Hornets, who rotate two lanky centers in Ryan Kalkbrenner and Moussa Diabate, who help Charlotte rank 12th in rebounding. Nic Claxton will need to dominate on the glass to keep the rebounding battle tight.
The injury report will be key for finalizing bets for this game. Charlotte routinely sits key players, while the status of MPJ will be the big news on the Brooklyn side.
Charlotte will also be coming off of a mental high. Their last game – just a couple of days ago – saw them take down the Raptors, ending Toronto’s 9-game winning streak.
Charlotte has gone just 4-5 against the spread on the road and they’re just 1-2 ATS when favored. Brooklyn is just 3-6 ATS as the home underdog, but they are a respectable 8-10-1 ATS overall on the season.
Betting Odds & Market Interpretation
Check out the latest Hornets vs. Nets betting odds at FanDuel:
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
Hornets | -4.5 (-110) | -196 | Over 227.5 (-108) |
Nets | +4.5 (-110) | +164 | Under 227.5 (-112) |
The Hornets are getting some respect here, as they are almost five-point favorites on the road. They do have more talent and twice as many wins, but that’s still a relatively surprising spread.
The game total is quite healthy despite these teams not being very fast in terms of pace on the year. However, both defenses are quite bad, so the pricing indicates a likely back-and-forth battle with plenty of scoring.
From a Bettor’s Lens
At first glance, the Nets are an intriguing value at home. They don’t win often and they’re shorthanded, but betting on a bad Hornets team to win by five (or on their -213 ML) feels a lot worse.
The clear bet beyond any Hornets vs. Nets prop bets seem to be the game total. The pace of play gives me cause for pause, but the poor defensive play has me instantly liking the over.
Situational Considerations
There are a lot of personnel issues for this game. Michael Porter Jr. has missed Brooklyn’s last two games, but he is slated to be a game-time decision for this one.
Charlotte has battled injuries all year, but should have most of their starting lineup intact for this one. It’s possible they rest some key players, however, which could send extra value to Nets bettors.
This game also takes place in Brooklyn, and the Hornets (1-8) have been abysmal away from home.
Best Bets & Confidence Levels
| Bet | Rationale | Confidence Level |
|---|---|---|
Over 227.5 (-108) | The Hornets are a decent bet to speed up the pace as they get healthier, but poor defense from both sides leans toward a high-scoring game. | 7/10 |
Nets ATS +4.5 (-110) | Brooklyn is shorthanded, but the Hornets aren’t very reliable, and this game is in Brooklyn. The Nets are a better-than-expected bet to beat the spread in this spot. | 7/10 |
Line movement for Hornets vs. Nets could create hidden value — follow every shift, watch for price drops, and lock in your edge at trusted sports betting sites.
Final Score Prediction & Closing Thoughts
Final Score Prediction: Hornets 121, Nets 118
The Charlotte Hornets are still liable to rest some key players. LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller are the big ones to monitor, as they should suit up, but can easily be sat out of nowhere.
Whether they play or not, the Hornets are not a very reliable team, so betting on their -213 moneyline feels bad. The spread is a close call, but the tie goes to the Nets at home – especially if there’s a chance Michael Porter Jr. can return for this one.
If you’re not comfortable picking a side, just hammer the Over. While these teams are on the slower side, they both stink on defense, so we can bank on a good amount of points in this one.
