Hornets Vs Pacers: Hornets 133, Pacers 109
The Hornets defeated the Pacers 133-109 in a game that had been billed as a mismatch. The outcome matters because multiple injury absences and contrasting betting lines framed expectations heading into the Feb. 26, 2026 matchup.
Hornets Vs Pacers: Score, time and venue
The game was listed for Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026 at 7 p. m. ET and was scheduled at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Game listings showed the Charlotte Hornets at 28-31, with one listing putting the Indiana Pacers at 15-44 and another at 25-44; home and road splits were listed as Hornets 16-15 on the road and Pacers 10-20 at home.
Pacers roster absences and injury report
Indiana entered the game with a long injury list. Tyrese Haliburton was listed out with an achilles injury; Ivica Zubac was out with an ankle issue; Aaron Nemsith was out with an ankle injury; Johnny Furphy was out with a knee injury. Pascal Siakam was listed as doubtful with a wrist problem. Andrew Nembhard and Obi Toppin were each listed as questionable with, respectively, a back and a foot concern. Those absences left the Pacers with only one player from a plausible starting lineup: third-year pro Jarace Walker. Walker, the eighth overall pick a couple of years ago, was noted as having failed to meet draft expectations and to have struggled with efficiency when given a more prominent role.
Betting lines, totals and expert picks
Betting coverage for the matchup showed variation in the market. One listing had the Pacers heavy underdogs by 13 points. Another set of game lines showed the Hornets at -12. 5 with a Hornets money line of -800 and an over/under of 228. 5. A separate point total was listed at 229. 5. All NBA betting lines, odds and prop bets were credited to FanDuel Sportsbook. All NBA win probability predictions and picks were credited to numberFire, which gave the Hornets a 71. 4% chance to win. Promotional copy around the matchup invited readers to sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy, and pointed to additional betting previews including “Michigan vs Illinois Prediction, Picks and Best Bets, ” “Nuggets vs. Thunder Prediction, Best Bets and Player Props, ” “2 Best NBA Player Prop Bets for Friday 2/27/26, ” “Mavericks vs. Grizzlies Prediction, Odds, Picks, Best Bets for Feb. 27, ” “Celtics vs. Nets Prediction, Odds, Picks, Best Bets for Feb. 27, ” and “Top 25 College Basketball Picks & Predictions Today - February 27. ” Fans were also steered toward the FanDuel TV show Run It Back with Lou Williams, Michelle Beadle, DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins and Chandler Parsons, airing weekdays at 10 a. m. ET on FanDuel TV and available in audio and video formats.
Why the Pacers slide mattered for the game
The Pacers’ current slide was traced to a rapid roster unraveling since their NBA Finals appearance last season. Expectations of regression were tied to Haliburton’s achilles tear, and the team’s fall has been described as “crashing down” as management appears positioned to chase a top draft pick. The projection of a high draft selection is linked to the absence of Haliburton, Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac from the floor now; the suggested future core for the franchise would include Haliburton, Siakam and Zubac if the team keeps its pick. In the short term, those absences left the Pacers with a thin rotation. On the whole, the team was described as having the worst offense in the league, with a defense that is “not a whole lot better. ” The Pacers played some competent basketball in January but had reverted to losing almost every game in February and had recently dropped back-to-back contests to the Wizards.
Matchups to watch and Hornets rotation notes
Even with the Pacers thin, there were matchup concerns. Jay Huff and TJ McConnell were identified as problematic for Charlotte: Huff had exploded in the first meeting and reportedly did not miss a shot in the second; McConnell averaged 18. 5 points in the first two games and did not miss a shot in the first meeting. That duo was described as a season-long matchup nightmare for the Hornets. Charlotte, meanwhile, arrived riding a franchise-record eight-game road winning streak and was said to have its full rotation available for the game, aside from an injury listing that noted Hornets player Liam McNeeley was out with an ankle issue. Observers expressed a desire that the Hornets not wait until the third quarter to “turn it up. ” Outfit details listed Hornets–Association (white) and Pacers–Icon (navy). How to watch listings included FanDuel Sports Network and NBA League Pass.
Game atmosphere and small moments
Accounts tied to the preview included barroom recollections of late-game moments from prior meetings: a mention that Kon hit his eighth three, a Moussa drive from the foul line finished with a eurostep, and that Miles and Obi had dueling windmill dunks in one game. A casual exchange was noted after a prior contest in which TJ McConnell appeared to mouth “You’re great” during a handshake line. Those moments were offered as color on a rivalry that has produced lively finishes and player interactions.
What makes this notable is how the combination of medical absences, a compressed betting market and a sustained Hornets road surge produced an outcome that matched heavy pregame expectations.
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