Celtics-Hornets showdown has major playoff implications

The Hornets head to Boston on Monday night for an Eastern Conference showdown with the Celtics. Charlotte is in sixth-place in the East, a game behind the fourth-place Celtics in the standings. 

The teams from third to sixth in the East are all separated by two games as the season winds down so there is still plenty to be determined with the seeding in these games.

Both teams are coming off of losses in their last game, looking to bounce back and come into the playoffs on form. The Hornets are a significant road underdog, getting 6.5 points, and with Nic Batum back in the lineup, I think they will be able to keep pace with the Celtics and cover the spread.

When Batum is healthy, it gives the Hornets a legitimate wing scoring threat and provides depth and balance to Marvin Williams and the defensive skills of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Batum's shooting ability creates space for Kemba Walker to attack the paint to score and facilitate.

The Hornets' offensive rating with Batum on the floor is a 107.9 When he's off the floor, it drops precipitously to a 101.5. His presence makes Walker and the Hornets offense much better, and against the tough perimeter defense of the Celtics, having multiple options on the outside is a necessity. 

The SportsLine Projection Model disagrees slightly with this pick, with a slight lean on Boston as the favorite. 

Kalland's pick: Charlotte (+6.5); SportsLine's lean: Boston

Robby is 2-4 on NBA picks when disagreeing with the SportsLine Projection Model and 13-17 overall.

Editor's note: Lines are subject to change. At the time of filing the writer used the SportsLine numbers, which come from a Covers Consensus of major sportsbooks.