Score Predictions for Charlotte Hornets vs Indiana Pacers
Schuyler Callihan: Pacers 111, Hornets 107
This is a great opportunity for the Hornets to start off the new season with a win at home over the team that ended their playoff dreams a year ago. However, I'm not exactly sure what to expect from the top four-five scorers for Charlotte. Terry Rozier (ankle), Miles Bridges (knee), and Gordon Hayward (illness) are all trying to get caught back up to speed.
For the Hornets to kick the season off with a W, they're going to need to have a big night from LaMelo Ball. He's going to have to take over the game on the offensive end of the floor and I'm not sure that is a winning formula for this team, at least not yet.
Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner present a huge matchup problem for the Hornets in the frontcourt. Mason Plumlee and Nick Richards are going to have to play well above expectations and I don't see that happening. Charlotte is going to be a fringe playoff team but I see the Pacers getting the best of them on opening night.
Jack Duffy:
The last memory the Hornets have of the Indiana Pacers is a not-so-pleasant one, leaving a bad taste in everyone's mouth all the way up to this season. The Hornets lost in embarrassing fashion, 144-117, in the Eastern Conference's 9/10 play-in game last May. At media day, Miles Bridges referenced the blowout loss, stating that it was used as motivation for him this entire offseason.
During his media availability Tuesday, Mitch Kupchak said that every player on the Hornets has practiced the past two days so everything indicates a fully healthy roster entering opening night. That is not the case for the Pacers who will be missing Caris LeVert (back) and T.J. Warren (foot) Wednesday. Guards Justin Holiday (ankle) and former Hornet Jeremy Lamb (wrist) are both listed as questionable.
I expect there to be rust on both sides of the floor tonight. While the Hornets are healthy entering the opener, starters Gordon Hayward and Mason Plumlee both missed time during the preseason due to the NBA's health and safety protocols.
The Hornets' Achilles heel for several years has always been their inability to limit opponents' big men. The Pacers have two solid ones in All-Star Domontas Sabonis and Myles Turner. Mason Plumlee is an upgrade over Cody Zeller but P.J. Washington will likely be taking those backup center minutes so expect the Hornets to struggle to prevent pressure at the rim defensively.
The mismatches favor Indiana tonight but I still fully anticipate LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier to post stat lines with point totals north of 20. Gordon Hayward's conditioning is still not back to 100 percent as he indicated Monday so I expect him to be on the floor at around the 25-minute mark.
With that being said, this is going to be an interesting matchup on opening night where I expect the Pacers to win 104-96 over the Hornets. Although I expect the Hornets to lose, I am hopeful that Miles Bridges and LaMelo Ball will give the crowd at the Spectrum Center some highlight-reel plays with their infamous passes, alley-oop connections, and emphatic plays around the rim.
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