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The Indiana Pacers did more than just crush the dreams of Knicks fans last year. They also came within a whisker of winning a championship, losing in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
That feels like an eternity ago. Not only is Tyrese Haliburton likely out for the season but other injuries have mounted. Indiana owns the league’s worst record at 1-13 overall and just 5-9 against the spread (ATS), which is surprising because Rick Carlisle is widely regarded as an elite coach.
The Pacers host the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday as one-point favorites with a total of 237.
Eventually Indiana will string together some wins, especially with Bennedict Mathurin recently returning from injury, but I do not think it starts against Charlotte. The Hornets are 4-10 but injuries to stars LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller have disrupted a season that began with promise.
Bennedict Mathurin #00 of the Indiana Pacers dribbles the ball during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on October 25, 2025 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NBAE via Getty Images
However, lottery pick Kon Knueppel has delivered right out of the gates. The rookie out of Duke is averaging 17.6 ppg on 46.5 percent shooting to go along with six rebounds. He has fit it in perfectly alongside the ball-dominant Ball.
Ball recently returned so I firmly believe this version of Charlotte, which is still without Miller, is better than the Pacers with Mathurin and T.J. McConnell returning from injury. They will certainly help but there is only so much they can do for an offense that ranks dead last in efficiency.
Betting on the NBA?
Both teams struggle defensively, ranking in the bottom ten of efficiency, but I feel the Hornets with Ball, Knueppel and Miles Bridges will have a much easier time generating points.
I have a 77-63-2 ATS record in this Post sports section, pending a Tuesday night play. My next pick is the Hornets -1 at the Pacers (-110, BetMGM Sportsbook) on Wednesday.
The Play: Hornets -1 (-110, BetMGM Sportsbook)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Doug Kezirian is a New York Post contributor who has over two decades of experience in the betting space, including spending 11 years at ESPN as a host, columnist and betting analyst. He’s also the rare personality who has documented success – 14th place in 2023 Circa Million and Las Vegas SuperContest ($37K), two top-10 finishes in 2022 William Hill College Football Challenge ($58K) and also grabbed headlines with a $297K win on the 2021 NFL Draft.
