The Miami Heat host the Charlotte Hornets in a Southeast Division clash at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday. Miami is favored by five points at Caesars Sportsbook, while the Over-Under is set at 222.5 (see up-to-date odds for every game this week on our NBA odds page). Before making any Hornets vs. Heat picks, you NEED to check out the NBA predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned almost $9,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model finished up almost $600 on its top-rated picks last season and enters Week 2 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 103-68 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread. Anyone following it has seen HUGE returns!

The model knows the Hornets are extremely talented, headlined by LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges. Ball is averaging 19.6 points, 6.0 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game in his second season, with Bridges experiencing a breakout with 26.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per contest. Charlotte is a top-five offensive team in the NBA on a per-possession basis so far, shooting 47.3 percent from the floor and 41.3 percent from long distance. The Hornets are a wonderful passing team, averaging 27.0 assist per game, and Charlotte can be effective on the offensive glass, grabbing 29.4 percent of missed shots.

The model also knows the Heat are playing unbelievably well on the defensive end. Miami leads the NBA in defensive rating, allowing 92 points per 100 possessions, and the numbers are staggering. Opponents are producing only 19.8 assists per game against Miami, shooting 39.2 percent from the floor and 28.6 percent from three-point range. Miami also leads the NBA in defensive rebound rate, grabbing more than 81 percent of missed shots from opponents, and the Heat are allowing only 6.3 second-chance points per game.

Now, it has set its sights on Hornets vs. Heat. We can tell you the model is leaning under the total, and it also says one side of the spread hits in over 50 percent of simulations! You ABSOLUTELY need to see it before locking in any NBA picks.

Who wins Hornets vs. Heat? And which side of the spread hits in over 50 percent of simulations? ... Join SportsLine right now to find out which side of the Hornets vs. Heat spread you should be all over Friday, all from the model on a roll on NBA picks!