Pacers vs. Hornets prediction: Why Charlotte is favored to win Thursday's NBA matchup [1/8/2026]

NBA action continues on Thursday at 7:00 PM ET as the Indiana Pacers square off with the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center.

Based on updated simulation results and today’s injury updates, Dimers' advanced NBA model projects the Hornets as the most likely winner of the Pacers vs. Hornets game.

This prediction follows the latest NBA Injury Report, which suggests the Hornets lineup will feature stars like Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Kon Knueppel, while the Pacers will look to Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith.

This article offers an expanded analysis of Thursday's matchup, including an expanded look at the predicted score, best bets and player prop picks.

Pacers vs. Hornets prediction: Who will win and cover?

Using trusted machine learning and data, we have simulated the outcome of Thursday's NBA game between the Pacers and Hornets 10,000 times as part of our NBA predictions coverage.

Our famous predictive model gives the Hornets a 64% chance of beating the Pacers. Our predicted final score has the Hornets winning 117-113.

According to our model, the Pacers (+4.5) have a 53% chance of covering the spread, while the over/under total of 232.5 points has a 52% chance of staying under.

Pacers vs. Hornets odds

We have researched the best NBA odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

Bet Type	Pacers	Hornets
Spread	+4.5 (-108)	-4.5 (-110)
Moneyline	+154	-178
Total	o232.5 (-106)	u232.5 (-110)

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Pacers vs. Hornets picks and best bet

After matching our probabilities against the best available odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

Bet Type	Pick	Bet Now
Spread	Pacers +4.5	-108
Moneyline	Hornets	-178
Total	Under 232.5	-110

According to our best NBA bets for Thursday, the top play to make on this game is Pacers +4.5 at the spread.

Pacers vs. Hornets player props

Looking for Pacers vs. Hornets NBA prop bets? We have crunched the numbers to project how each team's leading players will perform at Spectrum Center.

Pascal Siakam is expected to lead the Pacers with 26 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, while Brandon Miller is projected to have 22 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists for the Hornets.

Check out our NBA player projections for a full range of projected box scores, including points, assists, rebounds and today's NBA first basket picks.

Pacers prediction

Our model's projected player stats for the Pacers are:

Player	PTS	REB	AST	3PM	DFS
Pascal Siakam	26	6	5	2	46
Andrew Nembhard	18	3	7	2	36
Aaron Nesmith	17	5	2	3	33
T.J. McConnell	12	3	5	0	27
Jay Huff	10	4	2	2	24

Hornets prediction

Projected points, rebounds, assists and three-pointers made for the Hornets:

Player	PTS	REB	AST	3PM	DFS
Brandon Miller	22	5	3	3	40
Miles Bridges	20	6	4	2	37
Kon Knueppel	19	5	3	3	35
LaMelo Ball	19	4	7	3	40
Collin Sexton	13	2	3	1	24

Pacers vs. Hornets game-day updates and essential details

Thursday's matchup between the Hornets and Pacers at Spectrum Center is scheduled to commence at 7:00 PM ET.

• Who: Indiana Pacers vs. Charlotte Hornets
• Date: Thursday, January 8, 2026
• Time: 7:00 PM ET/4:00PM PT
• Venue: Spectrum Center

Conclusion

We predict the Hornets, with a 64% win probability, will likely beat the Pacers on Thursday, with Pascal Siakam projected for a game-high 46 fantasy points.

AI and automation have enhanced this article to quickly deliver accurate Pacers vs. Hornets insights, with human oversight ensuring high editorial quality. Our predictions are sourced from the latest data to help you make informed decisions. For additional resources and advice on responsible gambling, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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