The Oklahoma City Thunder head into Charlotte on Saturday looking to maintain their hot start against a Hornets team still trying to find its footing. OKC has just one loss so far this season, while Charlotte hopes to use its home-court advantage and young core to slow down the reigning champs. Before tip-off from Charlotte, continue reading to get my Thunder vs Hornets prediction for Saturday night.
Our Thunder vs Hornets Pick
- Pick: Thunder -15.5
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Charlotte Hornets
- Date & Time: Saturday, November 15, 2025, 7:00 PM ET
- Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina
- Broadcast: NBA League Pass
Key Storylines
- Thunder’s blazing start: Oklahoma City is off to a 12-1 start this season. Their title defense is off to an incredible start and they have won four games in a row after suffering their first loss of the season against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Thunder are dealing with injuries to Jalen Williams and some other key contributors, but they haven’t been slowed down this year.
- Charlotte’s youth and roster makeover: The Hornets are 4–7 so far this season. Their roster leans heavily on young talent, including rookie Kon Knueppel, who had a huge game in Charlotte’s overtime loss to the Bucks on Friday night.
- OKC’s rest advantage: The Thunder haven’t played a game since Wednesday night, while the Hornets are on the second night of a back-to-back here. We could see LaMelo Ball sit out on the second leg of the back-to-back after he was held out of overtime against the Bucks on Friday night.
- Experience vs. inexperience: The Thunder remain composed under pressure, while the Hornets are still climbing the learning curve under second‑year coach Charles Lee.
Head-to‑Head & Betting Trends
- This is the first of two regular-season meetings between the Thunder and Hornets.
- Charlotte is 5-7 against the spread so far this season.
- OKC is 8-5 against the spread during their 12-1 start to the year.
- The Thunder have had 7 of their 13 games go over their totals.
- The Hornets are 6-6 on over/unders so far this season.
Best Player Props to Watch
| Player | Prop |
|---|---|
| Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander (OKC) | Over 30.5 points |
| Kon Knueppel (CHA) | Over 17.5 points |
Thunder vs Hornets Model Projection
Score Projection: Thunder 125 – Hornets 105
Win Probability: Thunder 75%, Hornets 25%
Final Thoughts
The Thunder are the deeper team and they have a massive rest advantage going into this game. I’ll lay the points with OKC as a heavy favorite on the road, as LaMelo Ball’s status could hinder the Charlotte offense here, while the Thunder will improve to 13-1 on the year.
