We are looking to start the New Year with a winning NBA betting pick. The high-flying San Antonio Spurs travel to Indianapolis. They will take on the Pacers at the Gainbriedge Fieldhouse arena on January 2, 2026. It’s the classic battle between two teams on the opposite end of the winning spectrum. The Spurs have been one of the best stories in the NBA this season. They’ve actually turned into a real contender, perhaps sooner than anyone anticipated. They inflicted three defeats on league’s best OKC Thunder and are currently 2nd in the West. Meanwhile, after reaching last year’s NBA Finals, the Pacers are now dead last in the East with just 6 Wins and 28 Losses.
Our last NBA betting tip was a winner as we cashed in on the Raptors to pull the upset against Golden State on December 27, 2025.
Pacers Struggling Between Hali’s Injury and Turner’s Departure
The obvious explanation behind the Pacers’ struggles this season has been the absence of Tyrese Haliburton. The All Star point guard was doing miracles in last year’s Playoffs. However, the postseason fair tale had an abrupt ending, as he ruptured his Achilles in Game 7 of the Finals. As we all know, the Achilles tear is one of the worst injuries in all sports. It requires a really long rehab of at least 6 months, and Haliburton is set to miss the entire 25/26 season. But it’s not only that. Besides, their best player and leader, the Pacers have also been playing without Obi Thopin. The explosive forward acquired from New York got injured in the first week of the season. Toppin sufferred partial stress fracture in his right foot (fifth metatarsal), sidelining him for at least three months, with a potential return set for February, 2026.
And let’s not forget the absence of Myles Turner, an integral part of their winning season last year. Turner’s contract expired and he opted to sign a five-year deal with the Bucks. Turner was their defensive anchor and can stretch the floor with his three-point shot. The Pacers have not been able to find an adequate replacement for Turner. I was surprised they did not resign him. They had a winning young team and they just needed to keep it together.
Pacers On a Ten Game Loosing Streak
The Pacers are currently on a 10-game losing streak. That’s actually the fifth-longest losing streak in franchise history. Their last defeat was particularly painful. It came at home on New Year’s eve against the Magic with a 112:110 scoreline. Banchero hit the game winner with 7 seconds left. Neismith missed a last-second three-pointer and blew a chance to win the game for the Pacers. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 26 points. Bennedict Mathurin scored 23 and Andrew Nembhard had 19. The Pacers blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter.
“The real question should be why did we give up 68 points in the first half and only 44 in the second half?” said Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle. “And that’s because in the second half, we played like a together team that was supporting each other and not like strangers. That’s how this has got to be. We’re having too much pity nonsense going on during games that needs to go away.”
Spurs Prep For Pacers Without Wemby
The Spurs have been one of the stories of the season. They have exceeded expectations to the point where now they should be viewed as real title contenders. The fact that they managed to beat the Thunder, not just once or twice, but three times speaks volumes. San Antonio have real depth and they are loaded with some great young players, long, energetic and athletic. They play hard I do expect the Spurs to dominate the league in the upcoming years. Fox and Castle make up a great backcourt. Harrison Barnes brings championship experience. Julian Champagnie is a great three-point shooter. In fact, he set a franchise record with 11 3-pointers on his way to a career-high 36 points in the team’s last game – a 134:132 win against the Knicks after trailing by as much as 19. Wemby went out with a knee injury, but the MRI revealed no structural damage, just hyper extension. Of course, the Spurs are careful with their superstar, so Wemby will miss tonight’s game against the Pacers.
Spurs at Pacers Prediction
I’m going for a surprise NBA Betting pick here. The Spurs are the obvious favorites for all the reasons we just covered. However, my gut feeling is that Indiana’s losing streak will end tonight. The odds for the Pacers to win are really good at 2.90 on Money Line! You can triple your bank with this winning NBA bet on the Pacers.
