The Boston Celtics will open the post-All-Star break by traveling to take on the Indiana Pacers in a Thursday night NBA matchup at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NBA odds series, which includes a Celtics-Pacers prediction and pick, laid out below.
Boston has surged to first place in the Eastern Conference with a 42-17 record. The Celtics have gone 7-5 following their impressive nine-game winning streak that helped ring in the new year. Joe Mazzulla should receive serious consideration for Coach of the Year honors.
Indiana has fallen on tough times lately, losing 16 of their last 19 games on their way to a 26-34 record. Head coach Rick Carlisle’s club now sits in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. The current awful stretch followed what had been an impressive 6-1 stretch.
Here are the Celtics-Pacers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Celtics-Pacers Odds
Boston Celtics: -8 (-110)
Indiana Pacers: +8 (-110)
Over: 232 (-110)
Under: 232 (-110)
How To Watch Celtics vs. Pacers
TV: NBC Sports Boston, Bally Sports Indiana
Stream: NBA, NBA League Pass
Time: 7:10 PM ET/ 4:10 PM PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Celtics Could Cover The Spread
Boston is a two-man show, led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Tatum leads the team with 30.6 points and 8.6 rebounds, ranking second with 4.5 assists per game. Brown ranks second with 26.5 points per game, adding 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Brown will miss an indefinite amount of time after a facial fracture two weeks ago. Malcolm Brogdon ranks third on the team with 14.7 points per game, with all 50 of his appearances coming off the bench. Marcus Smart leads the team with 7.1 assists, adding 11.1 points per game, but will miss another week or two with an ankle injury. Derrick White is the fifth and final Celtic to average double-digit points, putting up 11.8 points per game on 45.1 percent shooting.
Boston has a lethal offense, ranking fourth in the league by putting up an impressive 117.9 points per game. Boston also ranks sixth by draining their three-pointers at a 37.8 percent clip. Not to be outdone, the Celtics’ defense ranks seventh by holding opponents to 111.7 points per game. The Celtics also rank seventh with 5.3 blocks per game.
Why The Pacers Could Cover The Spread
Tyrese Haliburton, in his first full season with Indiana, has turned in a career year, leading the team with 19.9 points, 10.1 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, the lone Pacer to average a double-double. Haliburton has shot 48.1 percent from the field. Myles Turner leads the team with 8.0 rebounds, averaging 17.5 points per game. Buddy Hield is tied for second with 17.5 points per game, shooting 42.6 percent from behind the arc. Rookie Bennedict Mathurin is fourth with 17.2 points per game, with the majority of his appearances coming off the bench. Jalen Smith, the third-year pro, ranks second with 5.6 rebounds and is averaging 9.1 points per game.
As a team, Indiana has averaged just 41.6 rebounds per game, which ranks 24th in the league. Indiana has averaged 8.0 steals per game, which is ninth in the league. Boston hardly turns the ball over, proving a tough test for the Pacers. Indiana has averaged 114.5 points per game, which is 15th in the league. Defense has been an issue, ranking 22nd in the league with 117.1 points allowed per game.
Final Celtics-Pacers Prediction & Pick
This one should be pretty easy, as Indiana has been playing awful of late. Boston rolls.
Final Celtics-Pacers Prediction & Pick: Boston -8 (-110), over 232 (-110)
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