*10* NBA Total MASSACRE >> 45-25-2 L72 NBA, *HOT* 12-3-1 Run!
(NBA) Charlotte vs. Brooklyn,
Total: 216.00 | -105.00 Over
Result: Loss
The set-up:The 7-22 Brooklyn Nets are tied with the 76ers for the NBA's worst record and will host the 17-13 Charlotte Hornets at Barclays Center on Monday night. The Nets are 3-17 since Nov. 12 and 11 of those games have been double-digit defeats with teams scoring at least 110 points on 16 occasions. The Hornets last played Friday and after trailing by eight early in the second quarter, hit the Bulls with a 16-0 run and never trailed again in a 103-91 win.

Charlotte: The Hornets have now won their last three games, after losing four in a row. PG Kemba Walker (22.6 & 5.4 APG) has provided consistent production but while backcourt mate Nicolas Batum (14.2-7.6-5.8) has good numbers, he is prone to peaks and valleys. He had just eight points on 3-of-13 shooting at Atlanta on Dec. 17 but came back with 23 points and 10 assists against the Los Angeles Lakers in the next game, then delivered his first triple-double of the season with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in teh win over the Bulls on Friday. The starting frontcourt consists of Cody Zeller (10.9 & 6.3), Marvin Williams (10.3 & 5.5) and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (8.9 7 6.9).

Brooklyn: The Nets come in off back-to-back 'ugly' losses. They scored 65 points against Golden State by halftime (held a 16-point lead) but wound up losing 117-101 on Friday. They then lost 119-99 to the Cavs on Friday and the final margin was 20 only because Cleveland pulled its starters late in the third quarter. Brooklyn trailed by as many as 46 and by double digits for the final 40-plus minutes. Jeremy Lin was part of the backcourt rotation in Charlotte last season before signing with the Nets over the summer and is struggling to drag his new team into the win column. Lin (13.6 & 6.0 APG) has scored in double figures in each of his six games since returning from a hamstring injury but Brooklyn dropped all six. Center Brook Lopez (20.4 & 5.4) is the team's most consistent player.

The pick: The Nets allow 114.7 PPG, to rank last in the league. However, for that reason, Brooklyn over/under numbers continue to be posted very high. The team has played three straight unders and in the first meeting between these two teams (back on Nov. 4 here in Brooklyn), neither team reached 100 points in a 99-95 final. The Under is a 10* play.