Brooklyn Nets vs. Charlotte Hornets Picks and Prediction for Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Use Code WWWC It’s a clash of Eastern Conference teams that struggled last season on the parquet floor in Buzz City as the Brooklyn Nets clash with the Charlotte Hornets Wednesday night in the season opener for both teams, and we have things covered with our Nets vs. Hornets prediction. Brooklyn finished the 2024-25 season 26-56 and was 12th in the Eastern Conference standings, missing the postseason. Charlotte posted a 19-63 mark in 2024-25 and finished 14th in the Eastern Conference, missing the playoffs. In the all-time regular season series between the teams, the Nets own a 70-59 advantage, though Charlotte picked up a 105-102 home win in the most recent meeting on March 8. Read more about this Nets vs. Hornets prediction! Need some winners? Check out our NBA Predictions and beat the books!
Brooklyn Hoping to Take a Step Forward in 2025-26
Brooklyn struggled in the 2024-25 campaign, finishing 26-56 on the year and fourth in the Atlantic Division, 35 games behind the Celtics for the top spot and 11 games behind the Heat to even make the play-in tournament. The Nets added a bunch of pieces via the draft in an effort to jumpstart their rebuild. Brooklyn had five first-round draft picks, adding Egor Demin (BYU), Nolan Traore (Centre Federal Du Basket-Ball – France), Drake Powell (North Carolina), Ben Saraf (Ratiopharm Ulm – Germany) and Danny Wolf (Michigan) to bolster depth. The Nets re-signed Cam Thomas, Tyson Etienne, Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams. They also dealt Cam Johnson to Denver for Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 first-round pick while picking up Terance Mann and the 22nd overall pick (Powell) as part of a three-team deal involving Atlanta and Boston. Meanwhile, the team did lose D’Angelo Russell (Mavericks), Trendon Watford (76ers) and De’Anthony Melton (Warriors) in free agency, taking a couple of veterans out of the mix.
The Nets finished the 2024-25 season 29th in the league in scoring offense as they averaged 105.1 points per game on the year. Brooklyn was 29th in the league in rebounding with 41.3 boards per contest and 24th in assists by dishing out 25.2 dimes a night. The Nets were 11th in the league in scoring defense by allowing 112.2 points per contest last season. Cam Thomas led the team last season as he put up 24 points per game. Michael Porter Jr. (18.2 points, seven rebounds) and Ziaire Williams (10 points, 4.6 boards) are solid scoring options as well. The Nets look to get production from Nic Claxton (10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds), Jalen Wilson, Egor Demin, Noah Clowney, Danny Wolf, Ben Saraf, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Terance Mann and Haywood Highsmith this season. Brooklyn was 29th in the league in field goal percentage as they shot 43.7% from the field as a team on the year. The Nets were 13th in the league in three-point field goals per game as they drained 13.6 triples per game, while they finished 25th in three-point field goal percentage by hitting 34.4% from beyond the arc. They were 11th in the league in free-throw shooting by converting 79.9% of their attempts last season.
Highsmith (knee) is out until late December after a setback in rehab from offseason surgery. Porter Jr. (illness) and Demin (foot) are both questionable for this contest.
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Hornets Trying to Pick Up Win in Season Opener
Charlotte had a dismal 2024-25 campaign, finishing the season 19-63 and fourth in the Southeast Division, 22 games behind the Magic for the top spot and 18 games off the pace for the play-in tournament. The Hornets were active in the draft, adding Kon Knueppel (fourth overall pick, Duke), Liam McNeeley (29th overall pick, UConn), Sion James (33rd pick, Duke) and Ryan Kalkbrenner (34th pick, Creighton) while re-signing Tre Mann. Charlotte added Drew Peterson (Celtics) and Mason Plumlee (Suns) via free agency while adding Pat Connaughton in a deal with Milwaukee and Collin Sexton in a trade with Utah for Jusuf Nurkic. Mark Williams was traded to Phoenix while Josh Okogie (Suns), Nick Smith Jr. (Lakers), Seth Curry (Warriors) and Taj Gibson (unsigned) left as free agents.
Last season, the Hornets were 30th in the league in scoring offense with 105.1 points per game. Charlotte was 9th in the league in rebounding as they collected 45.2 boards per contest and 26th in assists with 24.3 dimes per contest. The Hornets were 16th in scoring defense as they allowed an average of 114.2 points per game in 2024-25. LaMelo Ball (25.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 7.4 assists) is the team’s top returning scoring threat. Miles Bridges (20.3 points, 7.5 rebounds) and Brandon Miller (21 points, 4.9 rebounds) are solid contributors on the offensive end of the floor. Tre Mann (14.1 points), Spencer Dinwiddie, Grant Williams (10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds), Collin Sexton (18.4 points, 4.2 assists), KJ Simpson, Josh Green, Tidjane Salaun, Moussa Diabate, Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley, Sion James, Mason Plumlee, Ryan Kalkbrenner are looked to provide rotational depth for the Hornets. Charlotte was 30th in the league in field goal percentage as they shot 43% from the field as a team. The Hornets were 15th in threes per game with 13.3 per contest and 28th in three-point field goal percentage by shooting 33.9% from beyond the arc. Charlotte was average in free throw shooting, ranking 14th by converting 78.3% of their attempts last season.
Green (shoulder) is out indefinitely. Williams (knee) is out for this contest. Ball (knee), Mann (hip) and Miller (wrist) are each questionable for this contest.
Nets vs. Hornets Pick
Nets vs. Hornets Spread Pick
- Hornets -5
We’re looking at a pair of teams that were dismal last season en route to missing the postseason. Brooklyn has missed the playoffs each of the last two seasons while Charlotte hasn’t made the postseason since the 2015-16 campaign. The Nets did bring in Porter Jr. in a deal, but the majority of their rotation is based on youth. Brooklyn used all five of their first-round picks in the draft back in June and it is going to take time to get those guys up to speed at the NBA level. Charlotte has some solid pieces to work with in Ball, Miller and Bridges, though health is a concern for the squad. Still, the Hornets have more proven talent, and they are at home for this contest. Take Charlotte to start the season on a positive note.
Nets vs. Hornets Over/Under Pick
- Under 228.5 (-110)
These two teams were in the top five for the highest under percentages in the league last season. Brooklyn saw the under post a 44-38 mark last season. The Nets were just 28th in offensive efficiency and 27th in terms of pace by averaging 96.4 possessions per game in 2024-25. Charlotte was the league’s best under team last season, posting a 49-33 mark on the year in 2024-25. The Hornets were 29th in offensive efficiency and 20th in tempo with 97.6 possessions per contest. These were the two worst-scoring offenses in the league last season and three of the four meetings between the teams fell short of the mark. With neither team good on offense and playing at a slower-than-average tempo, this game ends up under the total.
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