Brooklyn Nets at Charlotte Hornets Picks and Prediction for Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Use Code SSWC The 2025-26 NBA season tips off in Charlotte on Wednesday as the Hornets host the Brooklyn Nets at Spectrum Center. The opening tipoff is at 7:00 PM ET on FanDuel SN SE. Brooklyn finished 26-56 last season while the Hornets went 19-63, both missing the postseason. The Nets have retooled with a youth-heavy roster and many new faces around Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. The Hornets, meanwhile, open the year hoping to have better luck with injuries after LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller missed several games in 2024-25. Charlotte enters as a 4.5-point favorite with the total set at 226.5. Trends, injuries, matchups — NBA predictions and more!
Brooklyn Looks To Start Fresh Behind Young Core
Brooklyn begins the new campaign with a completely reshaped roster after a 26-win season marked by injuries and a lack of consistency with the starting lineup. The Nets cycled through 44 different starting combinations last year but now have a mix of promising rookies and proven veterans ready to move forward. Cam Thomas, who led the team in scoring when healthy, returns as the key to success on offense. He averaged 22.5 points per game in limited action and gives Brooklyn a proven scorer. Alongside Thomas, the newly acquired Michael Porter Jr. is a reliable shooter after averaging 18.2 points on 50.4% shooting and 39.5% from three-point territory with Denver.
The Nets also drafted five players in the first round, highlighted by Egor Dëmin, the 6’9” playmaker from BYU known for his court vision and improved perimeter shot. He should see early minutes with fellow rookies Nolan Traoré and Drake Powell as Brooklyn tests its young talent. Center Nic Claxton remains a solid presence in the paint after averaging 11.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks over the past three seasons. Brooklyn’s primary question will be chemistry, as Thomas is the lone holdover from last year’s opening day lineup.
Defensively, Brooklyn struggled mightily in 2024-25, ranking in the bottom seven in both offensive and defensive rating. Porter Jr. and Terance Mann were brought in to address that, giving head coach Kevin Ollie more options. The Nets closed the preseason with a 119-114 loss in Toronto.
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Injury-wise, forward Haywood Highsmith (knee) is out until December, but the Nets report no other major issues entering the opener.
Hornets Open With High Expectations After Adding Depth
Charlotte enters the season hoping a healthy LaMelo Ball can finally give them stability at the point. Ball averaged 25.1 points and 8.1 assists last year but played just 46 games due to an ankle injury. His return, along with a fully recovered Brandon Miller, gives the Hornets one of the more intriguing young duos in the East. Miller averaged 17.3 points per game last season before wrist surgery ended his season in January. The franchise also added Duke sharpshooter Kon Knueppel, the No. 4 pick in the 2025 Draft, who shot 43% from three during Summer League and earned Finals MVP honors.
To balance the roster, Charlotte traded for Collin Sexton and Pat Connaughton while signing veteran big man Mason Plumlee. Sexton’s scoring punch with Knueppel and Connaughton's perimeter shooting should be a nice complement to Ball to work on distributing the ball more. The Hornets’ preseason showed signs of progress, including a 145-116 win over Memphis, where they shot 51% from the field and scored 62 points in the paint.
Defensively, Charlotte must improve after allowing 118.3 points per game last year. Plumlee’s rebounding and the return of forward Miles Bridges should help in that area, but transition defense remains a weakness. The Hornets’ ceiling depends heavily on avoiding injury—Ball has missed 141 games across the last three seasons, and the team’s offense completely collapses when he is off the floor.
Charlotte lists Grant Williams (knee) and Josh Green (hamstring) as game-time decisions for the opener.
Brooklyn Nets vs. Charlotte Hornets Pick
Nets vs. Hornets Spread Pick
- Charlotte Hornets -4.5 (4 Units)
Charlotte should control this game at home if Ball and Miller are anywhere near full strength. The Hornets’ revamped roster features far more shooting and veteran leadership, while Brooklyn will rely heavily on inexperienced rookies to find their way against a more experienced opponent. Charlotte’s offense looked far better in the preseason, and Ball’s pace will challenge a Brooklyn defense that struggled in transition last year. The combination of Miller’s scoring and Knueppel’s ability to stretch the floor should open lanes early, forcing the Nets to adjust defensively. While the Nets’ youth movement is interesting over the long term, the Hornets have the more complete lineup entering the season. Charlotte will cover the small spread at home.
Nets vs. Hornets Over/Under Pick
- Over 226.5 (5 Units)
Both teams are expected to play at an up-tempo pace with plenty of three-point attempts. Charlotte added multiple shooters around Ball, and the Nets’ offensive core of Thomas and Porter Jr. can put up points quickly. Neither team finished above 20th in defensive rating last season, and early-season games often feature looser defensive play. Brooklyn’s rookies should push the pace, while Charlotte’s ball movement and spacing will create open looks in transition. Expect plenty of run-and-gun basketball with both teams trading scoring runs. The Hornets’ ability to push tempo and Brooklyn’s perimeter scoring make the Over a strong play in this season opener.
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