Toronto Raptors vs Charlotte Hornets Preview & Best Bet - 1/7/2026
Updated July 9, 2026
Wednesday night’s NBA slate brings us an Eastern Conference matchup as the Toronto Raptors head to Charlotte to take on the Hornets. Both teams are seeking momentum in early January, with Toronto sitting comfortably above .500 and in the thick of the playoff conversation in the East, while Charlotte tries to climb out of its current slump. Here, I break down this matchup from Spectrum Center and give you my Raptors vs Hornets prediction.
Pick: | Raptors -2.5 |
Confidence: | 3/5 |
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The Raptors enter this contest with a 22‑15 record, earning respect as a team that plays solid basketball on both ends. Toronto has leaned on its stars such as Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, and RJ Barrett to generate offense and facilitate ball movement. They’ve navigated through ups and downs but have consistently been in the top half of the Eastern Conference standings. The Raptors won two straight games over the Atlanta Hawks after a shocking loss to the Denver Nuggets on New Year's Eve and the Raps will try to grab a third straight win here.
Charlotte’s 13‑23 record reflects a team still searching for consistency. The Hornets score at a middle‑of‑the‑pack clip but allow more points than they score. They rebound well and are among the league leaders in three‑point attempts, with Kon Knueppel knocking down a hefty number of outside shots. Miles Bridges remains a key option, and Brandon Miller’s scoring threat can swing games when he is healthy. Charlotte has won two straight games of their own coming into this contest, blowing out a top‑tier Thunder team in their last game. But the Hornets' ceiling isn't the question for them, it is their consistency that has always been the issue.
Player | Prop |
|---|---|
Brandon Ingram | Over 22.5 Points |
Miles Bridges | Over 18.5 Points |
Immanuel Quickley | Over 5.5 Assists |
Kon Knueppel | Under 3.5 Made Threes |
Score Projection: Toronto Raptors 117 – Charlotte Hornets 112
Win Probability: Raptors 58%, Hornets 42%
I'm going to lay the points with the Toronto Raptors in this matchup on Wednesday night. The Hornets are coming off their best performance of the season against an elite Thunder team. But they should regress on both ends of the floor here, as Toronto should get its third win in a row.
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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