Cleveland Cavaliers vs Charlotte Hornets Picks and Prediction for Monday November 9 2026

Cleveland heads to Charlotte on Monday night for a 7 PM ET game against the Hornets at Spectrum Center. The Cavaliers lost Saturday in a 109-97 loss to the Knicks that wasn’t pretty. Charlotte has been struggling even more, particularly on offense. The Hornets are barely scoring 96 points a night. That’s not going to win many games, and I don’t think it gets them past Cleveland. The NBA action is just starting to heat up on the court and you need to make sure you are fully prepared with our free NBA predictions.

Cleveland Cavaliers Need to Get Their Offense Going Again

Cleveland is 5-5 overall and 1-3 on the road after losing to New York on Saturday. The Cavaliers beat Philadelphia 119-95 on Friday, so they’ve shown they can play good basketball. But they followed that up with a 12-point loss to the Knicks. That’s been the problem. Cleveland has looked excellent some nights and ordinary on others.

The Cavaliers are averaging 117 points per game and allowing 114.1. That’s a decent offensive number, but the defense has been inconsistent. Cleveland is capable of scoring 120, yet it hasn’t always been getting enough stops. Charlotte presents a different challenge because the Hornets don’t score much. The Cavaliers should be able to concentrate on controlling the glass and keeping Charlotte from getting second-chance opportunities.

Donovan Mitchell scored 37 points against New York, but Cleveland still lost by 12. That’s a pretty good example of why the Cavaliers need more than one guy producing. Jaylon Tyson is listed unavailable, which affects the rotation. Cleveland has enough scoring talent to beat Charlotte, but it needs a more complete performance than it got Saturday.

Charlotte Hornets Have Been Having Trouble Scoring

Charlotte is 3-7 overall and 2-4 at home after getting hammered 119-80 by Boston on Friday. That’s a 39-point loss, and it wasn’t particularly competitive. The Hornets have lost three straight, and they’ve been having trouble getting anything going offensively. They also lost to Brooklyn and Detroit earlier in the week.

Charlotte is averaging only 96.3 points per game, the lowest scoring average in the league. The Hornets are allowing 110.2, which isn’t terrible compared with some of the other struggling teams. But when you’re scoring fewer than 100 points, even an average defensive performance isn’t enough. Charlotte needs more efficient shooting and fewer empty possessions.

Kon Knueppel, Moussa Diabate, and Dennis Schroder are listed out. Those absences affect the offense and depth, which is the last thing Charlotte needs. The Hornets have been struggling to create good shots, and Cleveland has enough defensive ability to make that problem worse. Charlotte needs somebody to step up and give the offense a spark.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Charlotte Hornets Picks and Prediction

Moneyline Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers

I’m taking Cleveland. The Cavaliers haven’t been consistent, and their 1-3 road record is worth remembering. But Charlotte is scoring only 96.3 points per game and just got beaten by 39. That’s a tough team to back against an opponent averaging 117. Mitchell can create offense, and Cleveland has enough talent around him to get a win. Charlotte could keep it close if the Cavaliers shoot poorly. I just don’t see the Hornets scoring enough to finish the job.

Total Pick: Under 222.5 Points

Give me the under 222.5 if that’s the number. Charlotte is averaging only 96.3 points, and Cleveland has been inconsistent offensively. The Cavaliers could certainly score 120 against this defense, but the Hornets would still need to contribute more than 102 to get us over. That’s asking quite a bit from a team that just scored 80. The danger is Cleveland turning this into a fast game with easy transition baskets. But I think the Hornets struggle to keep up, and the total stays under.

Final Picks: Cleveland Cavaliers Moneyline | Under 222.5 Points (if available)