Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets Picks and Predictions for Friday October 23 2026
Atlanta and Charlotte both got off to winning starts Wednesday. The Hawks went into Orlando and scored 132 points, while Charlotte beat Brooklyn by seven. Not a bad way to open a season. Now they get each other, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the scoreboard gets another workout.
Atlanta visits the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Friday, October 23, 2026. Tipoff is at 7:00 PM ET. The Hawks are favored by 2.5 points, with a total of 226.5. Atlanta are around -142 on the moneyline and Charlotte are +120. Check our free NBA picks for more games.
Atlanta Hawks Have Already Shown They Can Score
Atlanta opened 1-0 with a 132-125 victory over Orlando on Wednesday. Winning on the road against a Magic team that expects to compete in the East is a useful result. The Hawks put up 132 points, and they needed plenty of them because Orlando scored 125. Nickeil Alexander-Walker led Atlanta with 31 points. The Hawks will be happy with the win, but they won’t want to make a habit of giving up that many.
There’s plenty of offensive talent in Atlanta, and Wednesday showed how difficult the Hawks can be when their shots are falling. The other end is where I have questions. Allowing 125 in the opener doesn’t tell us everything about their defense, but it does give Charlotte something to look at. The Hornets have players who can get downhill and attack the basket, and Atlanta can’t simply expect to outscore everybody.
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Alexander-Walker’s 31-point night was a fine start. Atlanta also have Jalen Johnson to help move the ball and create mismatches, and the Hawks will need contributions from their supporting cast on the road. The injury report is worth checking closer to tipoff, particularly after the opening game. One result isn’t enough to establish a season-long trend, but the Hawks certainly didn’t look short of scoring options Wednesday.
Charlotte Hornets Have A Chance To Build On Their Opener
Charlotte began 1-0 by beating Brooklyn 110-103 on Wednesday. It wasn’t as spectacular as Atlanta’s offensive performance, but the Hornets got the job done away from home. Grayson Allen led Charlotte with 21 points. Winning the opener on the road should give this group some confidence before its first home game.
Charlotte held Brooklyn to 103 points, which is encouraging. They’ll face a much more difficult scoring challenge against Atlanta, though. The Hawks just put 132 on Orlando, and Charlotte can’t expect to win this game by casually trading baskets. They’ll need to defend the perimeter, avoid giving up easy transition opportunities, and make Atlanta work for its shots.
Allen’s 21 points gave the Hornets a useful scoring contribution in Brooklyn. Charlotte will also look to LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller for creation and scoring, assuming they’re available. This is a young team with enough talent to cause trouble, but the defense will get a much sterner examination Friday. The Hornets need to make the Hawks uncomfortable rather than let them settle into the kind of rhythm they enjoyed against Orlando.
Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets Picks and Predictions
Atlanta Hawks -2.5 (-105)
I’ll lay the small number with Atlanta. Charlotte winning at Brooklyn was a good start, but the Hawks just scored 132 in Orlando. That’s a stronger offensive performance against a tougher opponent. Atlanta’s defense could certainly let Charlotte hang around, and that worries me more than the venue. Still, at only 2.5 points, I prefer the visitors. The Hawks have enough ways to score to get themselves over the line.
Over 226.5 (-105)
Atlanta’s opener finished with 257 combined points. Charlotte’s game was much quieter at 213, so there’s a genuine argument on both sides. I lean over because the Hawks are likely to push the pace and Charlotte should find opportunities against a defense that just allowed 125. I’m not expecting another 132-point night from Atlanta, but I don’t think they’ll need one. Atlanta 119, Charlotte 113.
Final Picks: Atlanta Hawks -2.5 (-105) and Over 226.5 (-105)
This preview was completed October 22, 2026. Betting lines, injuries, and starting lineups may change before tipoff.
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