3rd Quarter Report
The Lakers are on the road but looking no worse for wear. Sitting on a score of 86-77, they have looked like the better team, but there's still one more quarter to play.
The Lakers entered the contest having won three straight and they're just one quarter away from another. Will they make it four, or will the Hornets step up and spoil it? We'll know soon.
Who's Playing
Los Angeles Lakers @ Charlotte Hornets
Current Records: Los Angeles 25-18, Charlotte 12-30
How To Watch
- When: Monday, January 27, 2025 at 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Spectrum Center -- Charlotte, North Carolina
- TV: FanDuel SN - Charlotte
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $88.00
What to Know
The Hornets will be in front of their home fans on Monday, but a look at the spread shows they might need that home-court advantage. They will host the Los Angeles Lakers at 7:00 p.m. ET at Spectrum Center. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
The Hornets are headed into the game after thoroughly thrashing the Pelicans: they outscored them in every quarter. The Hornets put the hurt on the Pelicans with a sharp 123-92 victory on Saturday. That looming 123-92 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for Charlotte yet this season.
Meanwhile, the Lakers had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 22 points) and they went ahead and made it three on Saturday. They came out on top against Golden State by a score of 118-108.
Anthony Davis continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, dropping a double-double on 36 points and 13 rebounds. Another player making a difference was LeBron James, who dropped a double-double on 25 points and 12 assists.
The Lakers were working as a unit and finished the game with 29 assists. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now posted at least 26 assists in four consecutive contests.
Charlotte's win bumped their record up to 12-30. As for Los Angeles, their victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 25-18.
Monday's matchup is shaping up to be a scrappy match: The Hornets have crashing the boards this season, having averaged 46.1 rebounds per game (they're ranked fourth in rebounds per game overall). It's a different story for the Lakers, though, as they've been averaging only 41.3. Given the Hornets' sizable advantage in that area, the Lakers will need to find a way to close that gap.
The Hornets came up short against the Lakers when the teams last played back in February of 2024, falling 124-118. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Davis, who dropped a triple-double on 26 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists. Back with a vengeance, will the Hornets be able to stop him this time around? Check CBSSports.com after the match to find out.
Odds
Los Angeles is a solid 5.5-point favorite against Charlotte, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 5.5-point spread, and stayed right there.
The over/under is 222 points.
See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Los Angeles has won 8 out of their last 10 games against Charlotte.
- Feb 05, 2024 - Los Angeles 124 vs. Charlotte 118
- Dec 28, 2023 - Los Angeles 133 vs. Charlotte 112
- Jan 02, 2023 - Los Angeles 121 vs. Charlotte 115
- Dec 23, 2022 - Charlotte 134 vs. Los Angeles 130
- Jan 28, 2022 - Charlotte 117 vs. Los Angeles 114
- Nov 08, 2021 - Los Angeles 126 vs. Charlotte 123
- Apr 13, 2021 - Los Angeles 101 vs. Charlotte 93
- Mar 18, 2021 - Los Angeles 116 vs. Charlotte 105
- Oct 27, 2019 - Los Angeles 120 vs. Charlotte 101
- Mar 29, 2019 - Los Angeles 129 vs. Charlotte 115