Pacers vs. Hornets Best Bet 3/20/23

Indiana Pacers (32-39 SU, 38-32-1 ATS) vs. Charlotte Hornets (22-50 SU, 30-37-5 ATS)

When: Monday, March 20th, 7:00 PM (ET)

Where: Spectrum Center, NC, Charlotte

TV: BSSE

Point Spread: Ind -1.5/Cha +1.5 (Bet it FREE by scoring a 100% real cash bonus!)

Total: 232

Money Line: Indiana Pacers -122/+102

Notable Injuries

Pacers

• Tyrese Haliburton (Out) Knee
• Chris Duarte (Questionable) Ankle
• Isaiah Jackson (Questionable) Knee
• Kendall Brown (Out) Leg
• Bennedict Mathurin (Questionable) Ankle

Hornets

• Cody Martin (Out) Knee
• LaMelo Ball (Out) Ankle
• Mark Williams (Out) Thumb

Recent Form

Heading into the game, Indiana is 32-39 overall. When taking to the road, Indiana has a mark of 13-22 and a win percentage of 37%. Currently, the team is 11th in the Eastern Conference. So far, they are 38-32-1 vs. the spread. When looking at how the team has performed of late straight and vs. the spread, they are 3-2 in their past five games and 2-3 ATS. Over their past ten games, they are 6-4 SU and 6-4 ATS.

Most recently, Indiana lost to the 76ers by a score of 141-121. Aaron Nesmith and his 25 points were not enough for the team to pull out a win as 4-point underdogs. The Pacers also finished with an ATS loss in the game.

Heading into the game, Charlotte is 22-50 overall. When playing at home, Charlotte has a mark of 11-24 and a win percentage of 31%. Currently, the team is 14th in the Eastern Conference. So far, they are 30-37-5 vs. the spread. The Hornets need a win in today’s matchup vs. Indiana to avoid their 5th straight loss.

Most recently, Charlotte lost to the 76ers by a score of 121-82. Terry Rozier and his 14 points were not enough for the team to pull out a win as 10-point underdogs. The Hornets also finished with an ATS loss in the game.

The Historicals

In the most recent matchup between the two teams, the Pacers picked up the 125-113 win over the Hornets. The Pacers’ margin of victory was enough to cover the spread as one point favorite. So far this season, the Pacers have a record of 2-0 vs. the Hornets. In terms of betting, Charlotte has an ATS record of 3-1-1 in the previous five matchups vs. Indiana. This mark has come on an average scoring margin of +5 points per game in favor of the Hornets. Indiana and Charlotte averaged a combined 241 points per game in these games, leading to an over-under mark of 3-2.

Analysis

This season, Indiana is among the league leaders in scoring, averaging 115.9 points per game. So far, the Pacers are also one of the more up-tempo teams in the league, sitting at 100.4 possessions per game. The three-point shot has been a big part of Indiana’s offensive game plan, as they are ranked 6th in 3-point attempts per game. So far, they have connected on 36.5% of their looks from the outside. The defense has been a struggle for Indiana, as they are currently allowing 114.94 points per game. The team’s 3-point shooting defense has been a problem this year. So far, opposing offenses have hit 36.78% of their looks from the outside.

Heading into today’s game, Indiana will need a strong offensive effort from Buddy Hield and the team’s supporting cast, as Tyrese Haliburton won’t be available vs Charlotte. So far, Haliburton is averaging 20.8 points per game. Hield leads the Pacers at 17.1 points per contest.

For the season, Charlotte is averaging just 111.2 points per game, which is 27th in the league. This below-average production has come despite being one of the faster-paced teams in the NBA (6th). Charlotte’s 3-point shooting numbers are below the league average, as they have hit just 32.7% of their looks from deep. On average, the team gets up 32.5 3-point shots per game, placing them 20th in the NBA. Defense has been a struggle for Charlotte, as they currently allow 114.89 points per game. The team’s 3-point shooting defense has been a problem this year. So far, opposing offenses have hit 36.29% of their looks from the outside.

Going into today’s game, Terry Rozier is the leading scorer for the Charlotte team, with an average of 21.3 points per game. This season, his field goal percentage is 41.5%. The team’s second top scorer is P.J. Washington, who is averaging 15.2 points per game.

Betting Trends

• The Pacers are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following a straight up loss.
• The Pacers are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games overall.
• The Hornets are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games playing on two days’ rest.
• The Hornets are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following an ATS loss.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

The Pacers are missing some players, and for whatever reason, they haven’t played well in Charlotte as of late. I’m betting the Hornets at +1.5.