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The Indiana Pacers have recently been on a hot streak, climbing to fourth in the Eastern Conference as they began a West Coast road trip. They started the journey with a win over the Utah Jazz and now visit the Portland Trail Blazers in game two. The Trail Blazers haven't been good this season, owning a 21-29 record and a 13th spot in the Western Conference, but are also one of the hottest teams in the league. The Trail Blazers haven't had a good few seasons, but they have won three of their past five matchups with the Pacers. However, the Pacers won by seven points in their first meeting this season. In that game, Portland was a 9.5-point underdog, which gave them their third-straight cover against Indiana. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Pacers-Trail Blazers prediction and pick.
Here are the Pacers-Trail Blazers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Pacers-Trail Blazers Odds
Indiana Pacers: -5 (-115)
Moneyline: -210
Portland Trail Blazers: +5 (-105)
Moneyline: +175
Over: 234 (-110)
Under: 234 (-110)
How To Watch Pacers vs. Trail Blazers
Time: 10 PM ET/7 PM PT
TV: Fanduel Sports Network
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Pacers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Pacers and Trail Blazers have a similar last ten games. Indiana has won four straight games and eight of their last ten games. The difference for the Pacers is that they have been favorites in most of those games and have failed to cover the spread in two straight. They were nine-point favorites against the Atlanta Hawks and won by five, then were 6.5-point favorites against the Utah Jazz and won by one point. The Pacers have a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers in their home-and-home early in January, but that is one of the only improbable wins over the recent stretch.
Although the Trail Blazers' defense has improved recently, the Pacers present a significant challenge. The Pacers are ninth in the league with 116.1 points per game, while the Trail Blazers are 20th with 114.6 points allowed per game. The Trail Blazers are one of the worst teams in the league at defending the three, while the Pacers are ninth with a three-point efficiency of 37.2%.
Why the Trail Blazers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Trail Blazers are finally starting to catch fire, including two consecutive victories against the Phoenix Suns. Portland has won four straight games and eight of their past ten games. The intriguing thing about the Trail Blazers is that they have been underdogs in the past ten games, which means they covered nine straight. The Trail Blazers have wins against the Suns, Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, and Miami Heat over this stretch. It's far from getting into playoff contention, but Portland could make some noise over the remainder of this season.
Portland's offense has been on fire over the past five games, while Indiana has been struggling on defense. The Trail Blazers averaged 120 points per game over that span, while the Pacers allowed 119 points.
Final Pacers-Trail Blazers Prediction & Pick
The Trail Blazers have been one of the most surprising teams over the past few weeks, and they could continue it with a cover in this game. Portland gets Indiana at a good time, as their offense has been lights out, and the Pacers' defense is struggling. We won't take Portland to win outright, but cover.
Final Pacers-Trail Blazers Prediction & Pick: Trail Blazers +5 (-105)
