Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics Preview
Looking to win big? The Celtics and Pacers face off at 7:00 ET on NBCS. The Pacers are hosting the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN.
The Celtics come into this Eastern conference matchup as the betting favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 244.5 points. Check out BetCoco for Indiana Pacers – Boston Celtics odds
Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics Head-to-Head and Key Stats
The last three times that the Celtics have faced off vs. the Pacers as the favorite, they have gone 2-1. Going back to the last five head-to-head games between the Pacers and Celtics, the over/under record in these games is 2-3 with a combined average of 241 points per contest.
- When looking at their past five road matchups, Boston has an ATS record of 4-1 while averaging 129 per game. The team went 4-1 overall in these games.
- Indiana has played well in their previous three home games, going 3-0 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 121 points per game while allowing 111. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-0.
- In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Pacers have a straight up record of 5-5 and an ATS mark of 5-5.
- The Celtics have played well in their last five games as the betting favorite, going 4-1 straight up and 3-2 against the spread.
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 on a two-game winning streak. For the season, Boston is 28-7 and will be looking to pick up a road win as the 3.5-point favorites.
When playing on the road, the Celtics have been dominant all season long, as they have yet to lose a game. Their average scoring margin on the road is +6.8 compared to +15.0 at home.
So far, Boston has been the favorite in 33 of their 35 games and have a record of 26-7. When looking at their against-the-spread record, it currently sits below .500 at 17-16. However, they do have two straight covers and have gone 2-0 ATS as the underdog this season.
The Celtics’ average over/under line for the season is 229.6 points, and their OU record for the season is 19-16. Each of their last two games have finished below today’s line of 244.5 points.
The Celtics are scoring 120.9 points per game this season and are coming off a game where they scored 118. Jayson Tatum is the team’s leading scorer at 27.5 PPG, while Jaylen Brown is averaging 22.7 PPG.
This season, the Celtics’ defense is the 3rd ranked defense in the NBA at 3rd PPG. So far, they have held opposing offenses below the NBA scoring average in 71.4% of their games. When it comes to defending inside the arc, the Celtics squad is permitting opposing teams to shoot at a clip of 51.1% inside the arc, and they’re also giving up 35.8% from downtown.
Heading into today’s game vs. the Celtics, the Pacers are 3.5-point underdogs at home. If they are able to pull off the upset, they will also snap their two-game losing streak. Overall, Indiana is 7th in the Eastern Conference on a record of 20-15.
Against the spread, the Pacers have been slightly better on the road this season, leading to an overall mark of 20-15. So far, they have been the underdog in 18 of their 35 games and have gone 10-8 vs. the spread in those games.
Indiana’s average scoring differential at home this season is +7.3 points per contest, and they have an average ATS margin of +6.8 as the favorite at home this season. Their current ATS winning streak as the favorite is at three games.
When looking at the over/under results, the Pacers have gone 24-11 in relation to today’s line of 244.5. For the season, their games have averaged a combined 251 points, and their average over/under line coming into games is 243.9.
In their last game, the Pacers scored just 101 points against the Celtics. They shot 8/42 from beyond the arc and finished with a field goal percentage of 41.3%. The team’s leading scorer in the game was Bennedict Mathurin, who put up 20 points. Tyrese Haliburton also chipped in 17 points for the Pacers.
The Pacers’ defense is presently ranked 29th in the league, allowing an average of 124.2 points per contest. In their previous matchup vs. the Celtics, the Pacers’ defense struggled, giving up a field goal percentage of 51% leading to 118 points.
In spite of being 3.5 point underdogs, we anticipate the Pacers winning this one 116-114.
Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics Betting Tips
- We like the Pacers on the moneyline (+135)
- The Pacers are also our pick on the spread at +3.5
- Our NBA model projects 230 points, and we suggest taking the under
Indiana Pacers Injury Report
- Bruce Brown – Knee – Questionable
- Isaiah Jackson – Finger – Questionable
- Andrew Nembhard – Back – Questionable
Boston Celtics Injury Report
- Kristaps Porzingis – Eye – Questionable
- Jayson Tatum – Injury Management – Questionable
- Sam Hauser – Right Shoulder – Questionable
