The Celtics host the Pacers in the NBA playoffs on Tuesday in Game 1! The Pacers upset the Knicks in seven games thanks to a historic offensive performance. The Celtics have been rolling through the playoffs and have won two straight series in five games. We now continue our NBA odds series with a Pacers-Celtics prediction and pick.

The Pacers have played great basketball in these playoffs, upsetting both the Bucks and the Knicks. They are one of the best offenses in the NBA and are coming off a historic Game Seven performance against the Knicks where they shot 67.1% from the field. The key for the Pacers is their offense and has been all year and it will be no different against a team like the Celtics that has been a juggernaut all year. The Pacers have a massive challenge in front of them because the Celtics have been the best team in the NBA. Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam need to be great and it needs to trickle down from there to the rest of the team.

The Celtics were the best team in the NBA all season. They have been dominant in the postseason too, winning their first two series in five games each. They have the depth and talent to compete with anyone. They can come at teams in waves with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White, but then Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday are also stars in their own right. The Celtics are the better team not just in this game, but the entire series. The Celtics have been great and they can make a statement in this series on their way to a potential NBA Finals appearance. It is NBA Finals or bust for the Celtics, but the Pacers present a unique challenge for them overall.

Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NBA Playoffs Odds: Pacers-Celtics Game 1 Odds

Indiana Pacers: +10 (-112)

Moneyline: +370

Boston Celtics: -10 (-108)

Moneyline: -480

Over: 221.5 (-112)

Under: 221.5 (-108)

How to Watch Pacers vs. Celtics Game 1 

Time: 8:00 pm ET

TV: ESPN/ESPN2

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Pacers Could Cover The Spread/Win

The Pacers were the highest-scoring team in the NBA this season and the best offensive team overall. They averaged 123.3 points per game on the season, 50.7% from the field, and 37.4% from behind the arc. Then, in the postseason, the Pacers lead the way in scoring at 114.2 points per game, 50.7% from the field, and 38.1% from behind the arc, and all are tops during the postseason. Seven different Pacers players average over double digits in the postseason with Pascal Siakam leading the way at 21.1 points per game. Tyrese Haliburton is fourth in the NBA Playoffs in assists at 8.1 per game and that is after he led the NBA in assists during the regular season. When the Pacers get hot on offense they are as good as any team in the NBA. We saw what can happen when that happens in Game Seven against the Knicks, but this is a bigger challenge.

The defense for the Pacers has been a work in progress this season. They were the third-worst scoring defense in the NBA, allowing 120.2 points per game. They were also second to last in field goal percentage defense, allowing 49.6% from the field. In the postseason, they are allowing 110.8 points per game, 46.7% from the field, and 36.8% from behind the arc. In rebounding, Siakam has been the difference at 7.5 per game. Haliburton then leads the way in steals at 1.2 per game and Turner leads the way in blocks at 1.8 per game. Their defense only needs to be solid because of how good their offense is and can be. Their defense is going to be a big key in this series against the Celtics. 

Why The Celtics Could Cover The Spread/Win

The Celtics have been the most well-rounded and best overall team in the entire NBA this season. They were second in scoring at 120.6 points per game, eighth in field goal percentage at 48.7%, and then second in three-point percentage at 38.8%. In the postseason, the Celtics are averaging 108.1 points per game, 48.0% from the field, and then 37.7% from behind the arc. Five different Celtics are averaging over double digits with Jayson Tatum leading the way at 24.3 points per game. Tatum has been the difference maker for the Celtics in the postseason because he also leads the way in rebounding at 10.4 per game and then in assists at 5.8 per game.

The Celtics' defense has been great all year, regardless of the regular season or postseason. They were fifth in scoring defense at 109.2 points per game, second in field goal percentage defense at 45.3%, and fourth in three-point percentage defense at 35.2%. In the postseason, they are allowing 96.7 points per game, 44.9% from the field, and 33.8% from behind the arc. Three Celtics are averaging over one steal with Kristaps Porzingis leading the way at 1.3 per game, and then he also leads the way in blocks per game at 1.5 per game. Their defense needs to be the difference with how well the Pacers are playing on offense across the board.

Final Pacers-Celtics Prediction & Pick

The Pacers were in a dogfight of a series against the Knicks, while the Celtics have had way more time off to get rested and healthy. The Pacers can get hot and are very tough to defend, but the Celtics are the better team all around. The Celtics will not be intimidated and are on a mission in this series. Expect the Celtics to win and cover against in this game as the better, more rested team.

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Final Pacers-Celtics Prediction & Pick: Celtics -10 (-108)