The Charlotte Hornets (7-11) host the Indiana Pacers (11-7) Friday at the Spectrum Center for a 7 p.m. ET tip-off. Below, we analyze the Pacers-Hornets NBA odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
Indiana took down Charlotte 116-106 as 3-point road favorites Wednesday. The ball whipped around the court for the Pacers, throwing 34 assists as a team, which led to a 51.1%-shooting performance (40% from three). Indiana is 3-2 overall and 2-3 against the spread in its previous five games.
The Hornets have lost two in a row and six of their last seven games (3-4 ATS). In the midst of this stretch was a six-day break for Charlotte because of COVID-19 issues. Over their previous seven games, the Hornets had the 25th-ranked effective field goal percentage and the 24th-ranked opponent’s eFG%.
Indiana’s dominance over Charlotte continues as the Pacers have now won four straight and six of the past seven Pacers-Hornets meetings (6-1 ATS).
Pacers at Hornets: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:40 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Pacers -160 (bet $160 to win $100) | Hornets +135 (bet $100 to win $135)
- Against the spread/ATS: Pacers -3.5 (-110) | Hornets +3.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 222.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Pacers at Hornets: Key Injuries
Pacers
- SF Caris LeVert (medical condition) out
- SF T.J. Warren (foot) out
Hornets
- None affecting the betting odds.
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Pacers at Hornets: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Pacers 114, Hornets 102
Money line (ML)
PASS with a slight lean on putting Indiana’s money line in with another team’s on a parlay (if that’s your sort of thing). Otherwise, a Pacers straight-up win is too expensive for me.
Against the spread (ATS)
Granted, it’s regular-season NBA action but, I don’t see how this game is much different. Pacers PF Domantas Sabonis was questionable entering the game but, notched a triple-double with 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting with 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
Sabonis’ advanced stats vs. the Hornets are nuts: 131 offensive rating, 105 defensive rating and 65.8% true shooting. Also, Indiana won comfortably Wednesday despite SG Jeremy Lamb putting up a clunker in his first start of the season (three points on 1-of-6 shooting).
Furthermore, as I stated in Wednesday’s Pacers-Hornets handicap, Charlotte’s offense revolves around SF Gordon Hayward, and Indiana is good at defending what Hayward wants to do (midrange shots). I wouldn’t bet this heavy because the outcomes in the second game of these miniseries have been random.
TAKE HORNETS -3.5 (-110) for 1 unit.
Over/Under (O/U)
I whiffed on Wednesday’s Pacers-Hornets total of 219.5 (222 closing total), and the game went Under. The market is barreling into the Over, which is causing me to stay away. I lean Under 221.5 (-110) but officially PASS.
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Also see:
- Gordon Hayward compares LaMelo Ball to Russell Westbrook, Luka Doncic: ‘He has that it factor’ (Lonzo Wire)
- Hoops Hype rumors: Pacers | Hornets
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