Charlotte Hornets +7 - Indiana Pacers :
My pick - Hornets+7
The Pacers, led by Haliburton and his teammates, clearly have the edge in quality. However, they rarely dominate opponents, even though, on paper, they could manage against Charlotte, even with some missing players. Charlotte, meanwhile, can still put up a fight. They’re also dealing with key absences, especially Bridges (along with some centers), but Miller and Williams are available, and Ball is expected to set the tone. On the Pacers’ side, Nembhard is fit, McConnell is questionable, and Naismith is out.
If Charlotte can compensate for their missing players in the paint and particularly Bridges, with strong shooting and by exploiting Indiana's defensive vulnerabilities like last season, they should be able to stay within the spread until the end.