We are back for another installment of our NBA odds and pick series with this matchup from the Eastern Conference. The Indiana Pacers (32-39) will once again be taking on the Charlotte Hornets (22-50) in a close game on the betting lines. Check out our NBA odds series for our Pacers-Hornets prediction and pick.
The Indiana Pacers are in 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings and sit just 1.5 games back of the Chicago Bulls for the final play-in spot. With a number of injuries to their young stars, the Pacers must dig deep down the stretch to find some wins and preserve their playoff chances. They've won three of their last five games but dropped their last one to the 76ers by double-digits. They'll hope for a win as the favorite in this one.
The Charlotte Hornets are 14th in the Eastern Conference and would need a huge run of luck to even sniff the playoffs at this point. They've been plagued by the injury bug this season and haven't been able to see extended runs with the entire team playing together. They're just 3-7 in their last 10 games and have lost their last four consecutively. They'll try to break their skid in front of a home crowd.
Here are the Pacers-Hornets NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Pacers-Hornets Odds
Indiana Pacers: -1.5 (-110)
Charlotte Hornets: +1.5 (-110)
Over: 234.5 (-110)
Under: 234.5 (-110)
How To Watch Pacers vs. Hornets
TV: Regional Coverage
Stream: NBA League Pass, fuboTV
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Pacers Could Cover The Spread
The Pacers will continue to be without their star ball-handler Tyrese Haliburton for this game. Their prized rookie, Bennedict Mathurin, remains as ‘questionable' along with Chris Duarte having the same designation. They're a completely different and much more dangerous team when playing healthy, but they've been able to hold their own against teams when their roster is compromised. They were able to beat the Milwaukee Bucks just two games ago behind a complete scoring effort from their starters. If they can replicate their balanced performance, they should be able to handle the hobbled Hornets tonight.
The Pacers have an advantage over the Hornets in the shooting numbers, especially with their 36% from three-point range. Indiana is also a decent covering team at 38-32 ATS on the season, but have just gone 17-18 ATS when playing on the road. Their recent games have been hitting over the totals and the Pacers are 8-4 ATS in their last 12 games. They should have an easy time spreading the ball against this Hornets team, so look for the Pacers to get out in transition and share the ball near the hoop.
Why The Hornets Could Cover The Spread
After losing LaMelo Ball to an injury, the Hornets are looking for a new identity to their offense with the face of their franchise having to undergo surgery on his ankle. They'll also be without Theo Maledon and Mark Williams for this one, so they'll need the starters to provide an extra boost if they're missing key bench pieces. They shot a terrible percentage last game as they were blown out by the 76ers and saw Terry Rozier with a team-high total of just 14 points. They'll be facing another good defensive team in the Pacers, so the Hornets will need to mix up their offense and find some easy buckets.
The spread is tight, so odds makers are giving the Hornets a real chance with their lineup against an equally-injured Pacers team. PJ Washington has been great with his three-ball this year, so they should look to spread the floor with him and get him out wide on the perimeter. If the Hornets can make their open threes, they'll enjoy a huge boost from this crowd in trying to keep this game close. Look for the Hornets to play hard early as they avoid the season sweep against the Pacers.
Final Pacers-Hornets Prediction & Pick
The Hornets will be very motivated to not drop a fifth game in a row, but they'll be met by a Pacers team that is sustaining their chemistry without their key players active. The Hornets have a harder time playing without Ball, so their performances have been inconsistent. The prediction is that the Pacers will be in a rhythm following a good road trip and have a lot to play for in the standings. Let's take the Pacers to cover and lead the season series 3-0.
Final Pacers-Hornets Prediction & Pick: Indiana Pacers -1.5 (-110)
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