Hornets Vs Pacers: Prediction, Odds and Picks for Feb. 26
The hornets vs pacers matchup on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 7 p. m. ET pairs the Indiana Pacers (15-44) with the Charlotte Hornets (28-31). The game carries a 229. 5 point total and comes with a prediction favoring a Hornets win (71. 4%).
Hornets Vs Pacers Game Details
Indiana enters the contest as heavy underdogs by 13 points and will try to break a four-game home losing streak when they host Charlotte on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 7 p. m. ET. The matchup’s listed point total is 229. 5.
Records, Spread and Total
The Pacers sit at 15-44 while the Hornets are 28-31. The market presents Charlotte as a large favorite, with a best bet listed at Hornets -13 (-110) in one set of picks. The total for the game is 229. 5, reflecting expectations for a high-scoring affair.
Recent Form and Trends
Indiana has lost four straight games and has failed to cover in any of those four contests. The Pacers dropped a game by 21 points as an 11. 5-point underdog to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. On the season Indiana is allowing 119. 2 points per game and has surrendered more than 130 points to each of its last three opponents.
Charlotte arrives on a different trajectory. The Hornets have covered in nine of their last 10 games overall and have covered in each of their last five games as a favorite. On their current road trip the Hornets are averaging 130. 0 points per game, and both teams have played to totals of 230 or more points in each of their last three games. Their first two meetings this year have averaged a combined total of 235. 5 points.
Key Player Betting Notes
One projection taken in the available picks is a Hornets rookie, Kon Kuneppel, to score Over 17. 5 points; that result is noted as having occurred in each of his last three games. A separate same-game parlay angle references LaMelo Ball, Knueppel, and Brandon Miller as three Hornets who have each hit a three-point target in at least two of their last three games, with multiple nights where all three connected in the same game.
Expert Predictions and Picks
One set of win-probability projections gives the Hornets a 71. 4% chance to win. Another prediction from Ed Scimia states that the Hornets will “make quick work of” the Pacers and notes a belief that Indiana has not come close to covering in its last four games. The recommended best bet in that analysis is Hornets -13 (-110), and there is confidence expressed in including the Over in a same-game parlay given recent scoring trends.
Additional context from that analysis emphasizes Charlotte’s recent covering form — 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall — and the Hornets’ ability to stretch the floor, which underpins the choice to back Charlotte as a big favorite on Thursday night. The Pacers’ defensive metrics and recent losses, including the 21-point defeat as an 11. 5-point underdog to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, are cited as reasons to expect a difficult night for Indiana.
Not intended for use in MA.
Ed Scimia’s commentary is accompanied by a short profile noting he has written about the gaming industry for more than 15 years, graduated from Syracuse University with degrees in Magazine Journalism and Political Science in 2003, and has covered events such as the World Series of Poker. His recommendations emphasize line value and shopping multiple sportsbook accounts to find the best odds and to beat closing line value.
Final takeaway: the Hornets are the clear favorite by 13 points, with a 71. 4% win projection and a game total of 229. 5. Recent trends — Indiana’s four straight losses and defensive lapses versus Charlotte’s cover frequency, 130. 0 ppg on the road trip, and three-game scoring patterns for the matchup — drive the case for backing Charlotte and considering the Over and selected player prop plays.
