Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics Preview
Don’t miss out on the NBA showdown between the Celtics and Pacers. The game is starting at 7:00 ET on NBCS, and it’s hosted by the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Get ready to place your bets!
In this Eastern matchup, the Celtics are the betting favorite against the Pacers. The over/under for the game is 247 points. Check out BetCoco for Indiana Pacers – Boston Celtics odds
Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics Head-to-Head and Key Stats
When looking back on the last three head-to-head matchups between Indiana and Boston, the Celtics hold the edge with a record of 2-1. Not only does the team have the better record, but they have won in convincing fashion, posting an average scoring differential of 22 points.
- The Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their last road games and 4-1 straight-up.
- Across their last five home contests, Indiana has been good against the spread posting a mark of 3-2. Their overall mark in these games was 3-2, while averaging 115 points per game.
- The Pacers have played well in their last three games as the betting underdog, going 3-0 straight up and 3-0 against the spread.
- Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Boston has an ATS mark of 6-4 while going 8-2 straight up.
Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics Prediction
As the Celtics get ready to take on the Pacers, they are sitting in 1st place in the Eastern Conference at 27-7. When playing on the road, Boston has put together a record of 10-7 for the season.
So far, the Celtics have been the favorite in 32 of their 34 games and have a scoring margin of +10.2 points per game in those matchups. Their record vs. the spread as the favorite is 25-7, and they have covered two straight on the road.
Against other teams in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics have gone 21-4 compared to 6-3 in non-conference games. The average over/under line in their games has been 229 points, and their OU record for the season is 19-15.
For their game against the Pacers, Boston is projected to win by 5.5 points (Road ATS: 6-10). The Celtics will be looking to make it 18 straight wins, as they picked up a 126-97 victory over the Jazz. The combined score in that matchup was 223 points, just below the 240-point over/under line.
In terms of scoring, the Celtics offense is 5th in the league at 121 points per game. In 70.6% of their games, they have outscored their opponent’s average points allowed. Jayson Tatum is the team’s leading scorer at 27.1 points per game, while Jaylen Brown is averaging 22.4 points per game.
In the current season, the Celtics defense has excelled, sitting 3rd in the NBA by allowing 110.4 points per game. Inside the arc, the Celtics defense is giving up a shooting percentage of 50.9% and 36.3% from three-point territory.
Heading into today’s matchup vs. the Celtics, the Pacers find themselves in 4th place in the Eastern Conference. Indiana has put together six straight wins and are 20-14 overall.
When playing at home, the Pacers have been slightly better in both the straight-up and ATS standings. Indiana’s average scoring margin at home is +8.6 points per contest, and they have an 11-7 record at home. Indy’s ATS record for the season is also positive at 20-14, and they have each of their last six games.
So far, the Pacers have been the underdog in 17 of their 34 games and have gone 10-7 vs. the spread in those games. The average scoring margin for the Pacers as the underdog is -3.6 points per game.
Against other teams in the Eastern Conference, the Pacers have gone 17-10 this season compared to 3-4 in non-conference matchups. For the over/under, Indiana’s games have finished above the OU line in each of their last two games. For the season, they have an OU record of 24-10 with the average combined score coming out to 251.9 points.
In their last game vs. the Hawks, the Pacers put up 150 points and shot 63.8% from the field. From beyond the arc, they made 19 three-pointers. So far this season, the Pacers are shooting 51% from the field, which is tops in the NBA. When it comes to three-point shooting, they are 4th in shooting percentage and 5th in made threes.
Coming into today’s game, the Pacers’ defense is giving up an average of 124.4 points per contest. Indiana struggled on the boards in their last game vs. the Hawks, giving up 8. For the game, Atlanta scored 116 points in the game.
Despite being 5.5 point underdogs, we predict the Pacers to come out on top with a final score of 116-113.
Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics Betting Tips
- We like the Pacers on the moneyline (+170)
- The Pacers are also our pick on the spread at +5.5
- Our NBA model projects 229 points, and we suggest taking the under
Indiana Pacers Injury Report
- Andrew Nembhard – Back – Questionable
Boston Celtics Injury Report
No Injuries Reported
