Hornets Vs Pacers: hornets vs pacers prediction, picks and best bets for Feb. 26
The Indiana Pacers (15-44) host the Charlotte Hornets (28-31) on Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 7 p. m. ET in a matchup listed under the header hornets vs pacers. The Pacers are heavy underdogs by 13 points while the game carries a point total of 229. 5 and an outside prediction of Hornets win (71. 4%).
Game snapshot and lines
Indiana arrives at home having lost four straight and looking to break a four-game home losing streak. The matchup’s point total is set at 229. 5 and betting lines, odds and prop bets for the NBA slate are listed as coming from FanDuel Sportsbook. All NBA win probability predictions and picks come from numberFire. The FanDuel-derived prediction in this context lists the Hornets at a 71. 4% chance to win.
Hornets Vs Pacers betting notes
Ed Scimia’s short-form prediction in this coverage says the Hornets make quick work of the Pacers. His listed best bet for the Hornets vs Pacers game is Hornets -13 at -110. Scimia writes that Indiana hasn’t come close to covering in any of its last four games and that Charlotte is a surging squad expected to win big in this matchup on Thursday night.
Team form and recent results
Indiana has lost four straight and failed to cover in any of those games; the Pacers most recently lost by 21 points as an 11. 5-point underdog to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. Indiana is allowing 119. 2 points per game on the year and has surrendered more than 130 points to each of its last three opponents.
Hornets trends and props
The Hornets have covered in nine of their last 10 games overall, including their last five games as a favorite, and they will try to run a road trip winning streak to three games when they visit Indianapolis. Charlotte is averaging 130. 0 points per game on its current road trip. Scimia also singles out a Hornets rookie, Kon Kuneppel, taking him Over 17. 5 points — a mark he is said to have exceeded in each of his last three games. The coverage also references the spelling variant Knueppel in relation to other longshot parlay considerations.
Scoring environment and player parlays
Both teams have played to totals of 230-plus points in each of their last three games, and their first two meetings this year are averaging a combined total of 235. 5, prompting a confidence pick for the Over in one-game parlays. Scimia points to Charlotte’s outside shooting depth — naming LaMelo Ball, Knueppel and Brandon Miller — noting all three have hit the relevant longshot target in at least two of their last three games and have had nights when all three succeeded at once, which supports a high-scoring Hornets win scenario.
Additional picks and context
The broader FanDuel slate referenced in the context offers other daily predictions including Michigan vs Illinois College Basketball Prediction, Odds, Picks, Best Bets for Feb. 27; Miami (OH) vs Western Michigan College Basketball Prediction, Odds, Picks, Best Bets for Feb. 27; NBA Predictions, Odds and Betting Lines - February 27; Panthers vs Sabres NHL Prediction, Odds, Picks, Best Bets for Feb. 27; Bucks vs. Knicks Prediction, Odds, Picks, Best Bets for Feb. 27; and Thunder vs Nuggets Prediction, Odds, Picks, Best Bets for Feb. 27.
Author notes and disclosures
Scimia’s write-up includes the line “Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links. ” The author biography in the provided context states Ed Scimia has been writing about the gaming industry for over 15 years, graduated from Syracuse University with degrees in Magazine Journalism and Political Science in 2003, has covered major gambling events like the World Series of Poker, joined Covers in 2022, and offers sports betting analysis primarily on MLB, NFL, college football, and college basketball. His described betting strategy focuses on finding line value based on deviations from the market rather than traditional handicapping, and he primarily shops between DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics in his home state of Connecticut while also doing deep game analysis when needed.
The bio also notes that, outside of gambling, Scimia is an avid curler who competes in mixed doubles on the World Curling Tour, runs a curling YouTube channel called Chess on Ice, and that his experience has helped him as a successful curling bettor during the Olympics. His advice to new bettors is to always open multiple sportsbook accounts and check the odds at each before placing a bet; successful sports betting is framed as consistently beating the closing line value by finding spots where one book is offering odds far better than the rest of the market and jumping on th
For bettors and viewers interested in broader FanDuel offerings, the context references FanDuel Research’s NBA home page, FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy sign-ups, and the FanDuel TV NBA show Run It Back with Lou Williams, Michelle Beadle, DeMarcus "Boogie" Cousins and Chandler Parsons airing weekdays at 10 a. m. ET, with options noted for the Run It Back YouTube page and a downloadable podcast.
Prediction summary: Hornets win is the modeled outcome at 71. 4% and the Hornets -13 (-110) line is highlighted as the primary best bet in this set of picks.
Closing: The matchup on Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 7 p. m. ET features a 13-point spread favoring Charlotte, a 229. 5 point total, and multiple trends and player props that the coverage identifies as drivers for backing the Hornets in this meeting.
