The Charlotte Hornets will finish up a two-game road trip in Florida when they face the Miami Heat on Friday at 8 p.m. EST. As almost everyone expected, the Hornets are shaping up to land towards the bottom of the Eastern Conference once again, thanks to a combination of a subpar roster and a handful of injuries. The Heat are also performing as expected, going 4-4 in the opening weeks of the season.
Luck has not been on Charlotte’s side to begin the year. Star forward Brandon Miller suffered a shoulder injury almost immediately and is now set to be sidelined for multiple weeks. Guard LaMelo Ball is also dealing with an injury, while several depth pieces have also missed time. Even when healthy, the Hornets seem to be a remarkably similar team to last year. The defense is horrible, but the offense puts up points in droves, often en route to shootout losses.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra continues to get the most out of a roster that does not seem like much on paper, as he has done in almost every Miami season in recent memory. The Heat have only lost to the cream of the crop of the Western Conference and the Orlando Magic, so none of the losses on record are particularly bad. Trade acquisition Norman Powell has been a fantastic offensive contributor, while center Bam Adebayo is making an early case for the Defensive Player of the Year award, giving the Heat a solid core that can compete with anyone on any given night.
- Hornets +5 (-105)
- Heat -5 (-103)
- Over 241.5 (-102)
- Under 241.5 (-105)
Note: The above data was collected on Nov. 7, 2026, and may have changed since writing.
Hornets vs Heat Betting Trends
- The Hornets are 4-4 ATS this season.
- The Hornets are 2-2 ATS when they play on the road.
- The over is 3-1 when Charlotte plays away from home.
- The Heat are 5-3 ATS this year.
- The Heat are 2-0 ATS at Kaseya Center.
- The over is 5-3 in Miami’s games.
Hornets vs Heat Injury Reports
- Brandon Miller, SF – Out.
- LaMelo Ball, PG – Day-to-Day.
- Josh Green, SG – Out.
- Grant Williams, F – Out.
Hornets vs Heat Prediction and Pick
This game almost exactly mirrors the first contest between these teams. The Heat were at home and entered as 4.5-point favorites, and they ended up winning that contest by nearly 30 points. However, Miami will be without Adebayo on Friday, leaving a major hole in the lineup.
Even without their star center, the Heat should handle this game with ease. Spoelstra gives them a massive advantage in coaching, and they are a far more consistent team than the Hornets. Additionally, if Ball sits, which he seems somewhat likely to do, Miami almost becomes a lock to win and cover the spread. The Heat are the best pick on the board by a long shot, thanks to their reliability and health advantage over Charlotte on Friday.
