Atlanta at Charlotte

Home opener for Charlotte after two road losses. The Bobcats still can't shoot, at 39% and 40% in their first two games, the last one to this Atlanta team, 97-94. The Hornets looked fragile in road losses at Miami and Atlanta. The crispness with which the Hornets moved the ball during their seven straight preseason victories has been absent, and they have not defended well. Yet with seven new players to assimilate, their slow start isn’t surprising. Charlotte's problems are offense and a bad bench. Sixth man Cody Zeller is -7 and -27 in plus/minus in the first two contests. The Hornets' 20 turnovers led to 26 points for the Hawks the last game. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist likely won't play this season because of a shoulder injury, a huge blow. Charlotte is on a 5-1-1 run UNDER the total, including 5-0-1 UNDER on one day of rest. Meanwhile, Atlanta is on a two-game win streak, a veteran group that won 60 games last season. The Hawks are on a 4-1 ATS run on the road and 6-2 ATS following a spread loss. The Hawks are also an excellent defensive team, 4-0 UNDER the total following a victory. Atlanta is 12-5 ATS in the last 17 meetings with the Bobcats, including 6-2 in this arena, and the UNDER is 5-2 when they clash. Play Atlanta and the UNDER.