The scuffling Indiana Pacers will look to snap out of their losing ways as they head to the nation's capital to take on the Washington Wizards. It is time to check out our NBA odds series, where our Pacers-Wizards prediction and pick will be revealed.
Without a doubt, Indiana's season has gone for a tailspin of late as they have lost 14 of their previous 16 games and are quickly falling out of playoff contention in the Eastern Conference. The frustration of losing certainly got to the Pacers the last time out on the floor as they were bested at home by Phoenix 117-104. Now forced to play the second of a back-to-back, does Indiana have enough energy to bring a halt to their losing ways?
Fortunately for Washington, the Wizards' sloppy three-game losing streak came to an end on Wednesday as they were able to beat the struggling Charlotte Hornets by a score of 118-104. Clearly, things haven't been all rainbows and unicorns for this Washington squad either, but they are hopeful that nearly three days of rest plus playing this one in front of the home faithful will give themselves an added boost to take down Indiana later this evening.
Here are the Pacers-Wizards NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Pacers-Wizards Odds
Indiana Pacers: +5.5 (-110)
Washington Wizards: -5.5 (-110)
Over: 234.5 (-112)
Under: 234.5 (-110)
How To Watch Pacers vs. Wizards
TV: NBC Sports Washington
Stream: NBA League Pass
Time: 7:00 ET/4:00 PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Pacers Could Cover The Spread
The Pacers will most likely enter play extremely fatigued after playing not even 24 hours ago and they have also been quite sluggish when on the road this season with an 8-19 overall mark thus far. Nevertheless, the Pacers could make quite the statement if they are able to take care of business in Washington D.C.
In order for Indiana to improve upon their not-too-shabby 30-27 record against the spread, they will need to have to find a way to garner more consistency on offense. With their season-long points per game average currently sitting at 114.4, the Pacers have hit a cold-streak shooting-wise that has seen themselves score less than their average in six consecutive contests.
With that being said, Indiana needs to storm out of the gates red-hot offensively. Alas, if there is one player that can pull the Pacers out of their shooting funk, then look no further than shooting guard Buddy Hield to save the day. On the season, the former Oklahoma standout is shooting nearly 43% from beyond the arc and is more than capable of getting hot within the blink of an eye. While Tyrese Haliburton currently serves as the leading scorer for this squad, finding a way to get open looks for their top three-point marksman will be a must for Indiana.
Most importantly, it has also been a multitude of defensive woes that could be the reason why the team has been inconsistent scoring-wise. When taking a closer look, the Pacers have given up at least 115 points in their previous three games and will need to tighten the screws defensively if they want any shot of covering in this contest.
Why The Wizards Could Cover The Spread
On the other side of things, the Wizards haven't been all that and a bag of chips this season either, but they are at least coming off a game in which they found a way to overcome a slew of turnovers by shooting lights out from downtown. As a whole, Washington only connects on 35% of their three-point attempts as a team, but on Wednesday, they were above their average with a 40% mark from deep throughout the night.
Not only will it be a must for the Wizards to cash in on their open looks, but another performance like the one Kristaps Porzingis had versus Charlotte could be just what the doctor ordered on this Saturday. When taking a closer look at that performance, it was the former New York Knick and Dallas Maverick that tormented the Hornets all night long for 36 points on 13/22 shooting which also included a whopping eight threes for the Washington big man. Standing at a towering 7'3″, Porzingis' shooting ability matched with his strength down-low is a unique and special attribute that there Wizards happen to possess on this roster.
Yes, Washington's top performers will need to show out in a big way tonight, but grabbing the advantage when it comes to their rebounding ability would be a nice touch. In fact, the Wizards are averaging just a shade over 44 rebounds per game and are facing off with a Pacers bunch that ranks within the bottom half of the league in terms of corralling boards. Be on the lookout for Washington to exploit this mismatch in a big way if they are planning on grasping a spread-covering win at home.
Final Pacers-Wizards Prediction & Pick
Off of short rest, the odds of the Pacers stealing one on the road combined with how their struggles of late does not sound like a formula for success. Side with the Wizards in this one and you will not be disappointed.
Final Pacers-Wizards Prediction & Pick: Wizards -5.5 (-110)
Follow Us
Subscribe