Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets Preview & ATS Prediction - 12/18/2025
Updated July 9, 2026
The Atlanta Hawks (15-12) will visit the Charlotte Hornets (8-18) at Spectrum Center in Charlotte on Thursday night. Both teams come into this contest having won their most recent outings and will try to earn a second victory in a row in this contest. Before the action begins in this Southeast Division contest, you can continue reading to get my analysis and my Hawks vs Hornets prediction.
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Atlanta is entering this game with some significant injury questions. Trae Young is listed as questionable as he moves closer to returning from an extended absence with an MCL sprain after being out for more than 20 games. Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis is out for at least another couple of weeks with an illness, meaning the Hawks will continue without one of their primary scoring and spacing options. Other Hawks such as Jacob Toppin and N’Faly Dante are also listed as day-to-day or out, which will further test Atlanta’s depth.
Atlanta’s recent play has seen ups and downs, with a blowout loss to Detroit followed up by an impressive comeback win over Philadelphia behind Dyson Daniels’ season-high scoring effort. Atlanta averages 118.0 points per game but also concedes 117.4 points per game on defense.
The Hornets have suffered their share of setbacks too, with multiple rotation players out. Grant Williams and Pat Connaughton are unavailable, while Collin Sexton and Tre Mann are out due to injuries. LaMelo Ball is questionable with an ankle issue, leaving the Hornets to lean on scorers such as Kon Knueppel and Miles Bridges. Charlotte’s offense, which averages around 114.8 points per game, has been inconsistent but has shown the ability to compete in spurts. The Hornets’ negative scoring differential reflects defensive struggles that have hampered their overall success.
Player | Prop Bet to Watch |
|---|---|
Jalen Johnson | Over 22.5 Points |
Miles Bridges | Over 20.5 Points |
Kon Knueppel | Over 3.5 Three-Pointers Made |
Score Projection: Hawks 118 – Hornets 110
Win Probability: Hawks ~60%, Hornets ~40%
The potential return of Trae Young could give the Hawks a huge boost in this contest against the Hornets. Bettors may want to wait until Young's status is updated before making any bets on this game. But I think that the Hawks will win and cover the spread regardless of Young's status, as the Hornets have been struggling on defense to the point that home-court advantage isn't likely to help them in this spot.
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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