The Indiana Pacers (23-22) visit the Oklahoma City Thunder (21-23) on Wednesday night. Action tips off at 8:10 p.m. ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Pacers-Thunder prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Indiana has lost four consecutive games to drop them to eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers covered 58% of their games while 50% went over the projected point total. Oklahoma City has won five of its last six games to bump them into 10th place in the Western Conference. The Thunder covered 64% of their games while 61% went over. This will be the first of two meetings between the teams. They split last year's series with the road team escaping with a narrow victory in both matchups.
Here are the Pacers-Thunder NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Pacers-Thunder Odds
Indiana Pacers: +4 (-110)
Oklahoma City Thunder: -4 (-110)
Over: 239.5 (-110)
Under: 239.5 (-110)
How To Watch Pacers vs. Thunder
TV: Bally Indiana, Bally Oklahoma
Stream: NBA League Pass
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Pacers Could Cover The Spread
Indiana can't seem to figure out how to win without star guard Tyrese Haliburton as they have lost each of the four games since he was injured. Indiana's biggest issues lie on the defensive end as they've allowed 123.5 points per game since his injury. That's been the issue all season long as the Pacers rank 22nd in points allowed (116.3 Opp. PPG) and allow opponents to shoot the third-highest percentage from beyond the arc (37% Opp. 3P%). That being said, the Pacers remain in a good spot to cover as road underdogs thanks to their high-powered offense. For the season, Indiana ranks 10th in scoring (115.5 PPG) and fifth in threes per game (14.2 3PM/Game). They love to run the break as they rank fourth in pace of play (104 possessions per game) and first in fast break scoring (19.1 PPG).
Without Haliburton, the Pacers have been forced to look elsewhere for offensive production. Although they lost their most recent outing with Milwaukee, that was of no fault of center Myles Turner. Turner scored 30 points, pulled down eight rebounds, and swatted four shots. He nailed five threes as well – an ongoing theme for him this season. For the year, Turner ranks third on the team in scoring (17.4 PPG) while leading Indiana in rebounding (7.9 RPG) and blocks (2.3 BPG). The rare stretch-five, Turner averages 1.5 made threes per game while shooting them at a 39% clip.
For as good as Turner was last time out, their clearest path to covering tonight comes via their wings. The Pacers have solid backup guards to replace Haliburton, but their best offensive options come via Bennedict Mathurin and Buddy Hield. Mathurin ranks second among rookies in scoring as he averages 17.2 PPG on 42% shooting. Hield ranks second on the team in scoring with an average of 18 PPG. The veteran sharpshooter is having a stellar season from beyond the arc as he averages 3.9 made threes per game while shooting them at a 43% clip. Look for both players to be more involved tonight as the team continues to look for a bonafide number-one option.
Why The Thunder Could Cover The Spread
The Thunder find themselves as one of the hottest teams in the league as they've played their way into the 10th seed. They have a great chance to continue their success and cover tonight as 4-point home favorites against a team that has lost by double digits in each of their last two games. The Thunder's clearest path to covering comes on offense. Oklahoma City ranks ninth in scoring (116.8 PPG). They dominate the paint, ranking third in points in the paint (55.5 PPG) and ninth in rebounding (52.4 RPG).
Despite their dominance down low, the Thunder don't have a go-to big man. Instead, their primary source of inside scoring comes from their star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Among guards, SGA averages the second-most field goals per game within five feet of the basket. Although he is the rare guard who doesn't rely on his outside jumper, it is hard to argue with the results. SGA averages 30.6 PPG while shooting 50% for the season. Indiana ranks a pedestrian 16th in points in the paint allowed (49.5 Opp. PPG) – setting SGA up for another strong showing.
For as good as SGA has been this season, Josh Giddey has really started to come along in recent games as a secondary scorer. The second-year man has averaged 20.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 7.8 APG over his last six games. A constant triple-double threat, Giddey's all-around game projects to give Indiana fits on the defensive side of the ball.
Final Pacers-Thunder Prediction & Pick
With no Haliburton again for the Pacers, I like the Thunder to roll at home and continue their recent winning streak.
Final Pacers-Thunder Prediction & Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder -4 (-110)
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