| MATCHUP | Indiana Pacers | Charlotte Hornets |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 7-31 | 13-25 |
| Where | Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC | |
| When | Thursday, January 8, 2026 | |
| Time | 07:00 PM EST | |
| TV | FanDuel SN IN | |
The Indiana Pacers and the Charlotte Hornets duke it out at the Spectrum Center on Thursday night. Here’s a Indiana Pacers vs Charlotte Hornets Prediction. This article will include a Indiana Pacers vs Charlotte Hornets Pick.
Indiana Pacers Betting Preview
The Indiana Pacers have been in a major slump as they’ve lost 15 of their last 17 games overall and they will be hoping to avoid a 14th straight defeat after falling just short to the Cavaliers in a 120-116 loss on Tuesday. Pascal Siakam led the team with 22 points on nine of 23 shooting, Jay Huff added 20 points on seven of 10 shooting while Andrew Nembhard chipped in with 15 points and 11 assists.
As a team, the Pacers shot 46 percent from the field and 16 of 35 from the 3-point line as they kept the Cavaliers in check from the start and worked their way to a nine-point lead after three quarters. However, they let themselves down in the fourth quarter where they got outscored by 36-23 to lose a franchise-record 13th straight defeat.
Charlotte Hornets Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets have been in pretty good form lately as they’ve split their last eight games overall. They will be looking to bounce back in this one after having their two-game win streak snapped by the Raptors in a 97-96 loss last night. Collin Sexton led the team in scoring with 22 points on seven of 13 shooting off the bench, LaMelo Ball added 15 points with seven rebounds and seven assists while Miles Bridges chipped in with 12 points and five assists.
As a team, the Hornets shot just 39 percent from the field and 14 of 38 from the 3-point line, which was good enough to take a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter. But they couldn’t hold off the Raptors and eventually got stung at the buzzer by the Raptors’ Immanuel Quickley who drained the game-winning shot. 3-pointer.
Why the Charlotte Hornets will win
- The Pacers have lost each of their last 10 games against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The favorites have won 13 of the Pacers’ last 14 games.
- The Hornets have covered the spread in each of their last six games when playing with a rest disadvantage.
- The Pacers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last five games following a home loss.
Why the Indiana Pacers will win
- The Hornets have lost each of their last four games as favorites following a home loss.
- The underdogs have won six of the Pacers’ last eight games at Spectrum Center.
- The Hornets have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six games as favorites following a home loss.
- The underdogs have covered the spread in each of the last five games between the Pacers and Hornets.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Hornets’ last eight games against the Pacers following a home loss have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Each of the Pacers’ last four games at Spectrum Center have gone UNDER the total points line.
Charlotte Hornets Player Facts
- Collin Sexton ranks T5th in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for FT% (87.5%) this season.
- Moussa Diabate is one of only 10 players in the league to have recorded 6+ steals in a game this season.
Indiana Pacers Player Facts
- Pascal Siakam is one of only four qualified players in the league to be leading their team in points (23.7) and rebounds (6.6) per game this season.
- Aaron Nesmith is one of only eight qualified players to have made a three in every game this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Hornets rank 1st in the league for opponent free throw attempts per game this season (20.9).
- The Hornets have missed the playoffs in nine consecutive seasons – longest active streak in the NBA.
- The Pacers rank 30th in the league for opponent free throw attempts per game this season (28.6).
- The Pacers rank 30th in the league for Q2 points per game this season (27.2).
Indiana Pacers vs Charlotte Hornets Prediction
The Pacers are still missing Tyrese Haliburton, Obi Toppin, Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson, while the Hornets have ruled out Grant Williams, Brandon Miller and Ryan Kalkbrenner once again. The Pacers are mired in a horrible slump, but they would’ve taken a lot of confidence from their last outing, as they were the better team for about three quarters, before the Cavaliers rallied to snatch the game away. In contrast, the Hornets have sprung to life lately, and they smashed the Thunder before losing by one point to the Raptors last night.
The Pacers’ horrid run has to come to an end sooner or later, but they’re running into a confident Hornets team, who have looked great over the past couple weeks. The Pacers could finally get their long overdue win here, but I have more faith in the Hornets, even though they are playing their second game of a back to back set.