Pelicans vs Hornets Prediction, Odds & Game Preview 3/30/2025

In what shapes up as a matchup between two teams enduring dismal seasons, the New Orleans Pelicans (20-54) welcome the Charlotte Hornets (18-55) to Smoothie King Center on Sunday night with both clubs desperate to salvage something from their disappointing campaigns.

The spotlight falls on each team's offensive woes - Charlotte ranks dead last in shooting efficiency while sitting 29th in offensive rating, and New Orleans hasn't fared much better with the NBA's worst defensive rating and a 24th-ranked offense hampered by injuries to key contributors like Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum.

Home-court advantage might prove decisive for the Pelicans against a Hornets squad riding a four-game losing streak and missing several starters including LaMelo Ball, who torched New Orleans for 25 points in their previous meeting when the home team demolished the away team by 31 points in January.

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New Orleans Pelicans vs. Charlotte Hornets preview

The Pelicans host the Hornets at Smoothie King Center in a clash between two teams that have essentially mailed in their season, with both squads dealing with significant injury issues that have derailed any hopes they had back in October.

Charlotte enters on a miserable four-game skid and brings the NBA's worst shooting efficiency to New Orleans, though they've shown flashes when crashing the offensive glass, ranking sixth in offensive rebounding rate.

The Hornets walloped the Pelicans by 31 points in their January meeting, but they'll be limping into this one without LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and several other key contributors.

New Orleans hasn't fared much better, going just 2-6 in their last eight games while boasting the NBA's worst defensive rating—a stunning fall from grace for a team that had playoff aspirations.

Home court could prove decisive, as the Pelicans have managed 13 of their 20 wins at the Smoothie King Center this season, while Charlotte has gone winless in their last four road games.

Both teams are shooting brick after brick—the Hornets rank dead last in true shooting percentage while the Pelicans aren't much better at 24th—making this a game where second-chance points might actually determine the winner.

Karlo Matkovic might be someone to watch after dropping 19 points on efficient 7-of-11 shooting against the 76ers in the Pelicans' last outing.

With the regular season winding down and lottery positioning on the line, this basement battle might not feature pretty basketball, but it'll certainly give us a glimpse of which young players might factor into these franchises' futures.