Summer League: Spurs vs Hornets Prediction, Odds & Dylan Harper Update

• The Hornets are 3-point favorites over the Spurs in Thursday’s Summer League showdown at 7:00 PM ET
• Both teams enter undefeated at 3-0, with San Antonio shutting down Dylan Harper for rest
• See below for my Spurs vs Hornets prediction, plus Summer League odds and Dylan Harper’s status

Thursday’s NBA Summer League action features two undefeated teams when the San Antonio Spurs visit the Charlotte Hornets at Thomas & Mack Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET with coverage on ESPN.

Somebody’s zero has got to go. The Spurs and Hornets both sit at 3-0 in Summer League play, but San Antonio just lost its biggest star.

Charlotte has been dodging bullets all tournament. They’ve faced Philadelphia without VJ Edgecombe, Dallas without Cooper Flagg, and Utah without Ace Bailey. Now they get San Antonio without Dylan Harper.

Spurs vs Hornets Prediction

• Hornets -3 (-110 at DraftKings)
• Under 181.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

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Charlotte might have the luckiest Summer League schedule ever. They’ve faced every team’s best player on the injury report. Now they catch another break with Harper sitting out.

The Hornets haven’t just been lucky, though. KJ Simpson leads the way with 19.3 points per game on 45.5% shooting. Kon Knueppel, the fourth overall pick, adds 15 points while shooting 43.8% from three.

Summer League Undefeated Teams

San Antonio’s point differential looks impressive, but context matters. They needed a buzzer-beater from Riley Minix to beat Utah in overtime Monday. Without Harper’s 16 points in that game, they likely lose in regulation.

David Jones-Garcia has been sensational for the Spurs. The G League product averages 24.3 points while shooting 58.7% from the field and 63.2% from three. Those numbers scream regression against better competition.

Charlotte has six players averaging double figures. That’s depth San Antonio can’t match without Harper. The Hornets also commit fewer fouls (20.7 per game) than the Spurs (26.7), keeping opponents off the free-throw line.

The total feels high considering both teams play at a measured pace. San Antonio averages just 93.3 points per game. Charlotte scores 98 per contest, but against weaker competition missing their stars.

Both teams have shown defensive prowess during their winning streaks. Charlotte allows just 89.3 points per game while San Antonio has held two of three opponents under 80 points. With Harper out, expect the Spurs to struggle even more offensively.

Liam McNeeley’s status looms large for Charlotte. The UConn product missed Monday’s game with an Achilles issue after averaging 18 points and 8.5 rebounds. Even if he plays, expect limited minutes.

Dylan Harper Update

San Antonio announced Wednesday that they’re shutting down Dylan Harper for the remainder of Summer League. The second overall pick averaged 16 points through three games but shot just 35.7% from the field with 3.5 turnovers per contest.

Harper showed flashes of brilliance, including the game-tying bucket against Utah to force overtime. But with the Spurs seeing enough positive signs, they won’t risk injury in meaningless games.

This follows a league-wide trend of teams protecting lottery picks. Charlotte knows this pattern well since they’ve benefited from it all tournament. Now they face another depleted opponent.

Without Harper, San Antonio loses their primary creator. Jones-Garcia can score, but needs someone to set him up. The Spurs’ offense could stagnate against Charlotte’s disciplined defense.

Spurs vs Hornets Odds

The line has adjusted significantly for Harper’s absence. San Antonio opened as 1.5-point favorites before flipping to 3-point underdogs. Sharp money pushed this quickly after the news broke.

The total dropped from 185 to 181.5, reflecting concerns about San Antonio’s depleted offense. Both unders have cashed in the Spurs’ last two games. Without Harper’s playmaking, expect another low-scoring affair Thursday.

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Odds as of July 17 at DraftKings. Get the DraftKings promo code before signing up.