The New Orleans Pelicans (27-39) host the Charlotte Hornets (32-25) Friday at the Smoothie King Center for an 8:30 p.m. ET tip-off. Below, we look at the Hornets vs. Pelicans odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.

Charlotte is 3-4 straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) post-All-Star break. The Hornets have lost back-to-back games to the Brooklyn Nets Tuesday (132-121) and the Boston Celtics Wednesday (115-101).

NOLA enters on a 3-game losing skid following a 4-game winning streak to start its final stretch. The Pelicans are 4-3 SU and ATS since the All-Star game after Wednesday’s 108-102 loss to the Orlando Magic at home as 8.5-point favorites.

• Money line (ML): Hornets -145 (bet $145 to win $100) | Pelicans +120 (bet $100 to win $120)
• Against the spread: Hornets -2.5 (-112) | Pelicans +2.5 (-108)
• Over/Under (O/U): 225.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)

Hornets at Pelicans key injuries

Hornets

• SF Gordon Hayward (ankle) out
• SF Jalen McDaniels (ankle) probable

Pelicans

• SF Brandon Ingram (hamstring) out
• SG C.J. McCollum (health and safety protocols) out

Prediction

Hornets 118, Pelicans 109

Money line

BET the HORNETS (-145) for 1.25 units mostly due to the major absences for the Pelicans (+120).

NOLA wing Brandon Ingram was ballin’ before he got sidelined with a hamstring injury, averaging 29.4 points per game (PPG) on 58.5% shooting with a plus-21 net rating post-All-Star break.

Ingram’s recent dominance is a big reason the Pelicans took control of the 10-seed in the West. Also, the Pelicans are scoring 12.7 fewer points per 100 possessions when Ingram is off the floor, which grades in the 96th percentile for wings, according to CleaningTheGlass.com (CTG).

Another major contributor to NOLA’s recent success has been trade deadline acquisition McCollum, who’s averaging 27.1 PPG on 52.7% shooting since joining the Pelicans Feb. 10.

There’s some value on the Hornets here since they’ve lost seven of their previous 10 games. But those losses came against quality competition including the Nets, Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies.

Furthermore, Charlotte is ninth in the East but only 1.5 games ahead of the 11th-place Washington Wizards and need this game for the playoff race. Also, the Hornets are 5-2 SU as road favorites with a plus-9.4 margin of victory and the Pelicans are 8-15 SU as home underdogs.

For the record, I’d play the HORNETS (-145) up to -160 before just laying the points with Charlotte.