The NBA season is officially here and will continue with some great games Friday Night. To kick things off, the Indiana Pacers will travel to take on the Washington Wizards. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Pacers-Wizards prediction and pick.
While the season has just begun, both of these teams have shown bright spots. The Pacers lost by one in an amazing game against the hornets. Washington notched a decisive victory over Toronto. Friday night's games will start off strong with this match up.
Here's how the bookmakers have set the Pacers-Wizards odds for Friday night's matchup.
NBA Odds: Pacers-Wizards Odds
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Indiana Pacers: +2.5 (-112)
Washington Wizards: -2.5 (-108)
Over: 228 (-110)
Under: 228 (-110)
Why The Pacers Could Cover The Spread
The Pacers were on the wrong side of a comeback in their season opener against Charlotte. Indiana dominated for the vast majority of the game but couldn't finish the job. They scored 34 or more points in 3 out of 4 quarters of play. They had a horrible third quarter that would cost them the game. However, Indiana fans should feel good about what they saw on Wednesday night and get ready for the Pacers to come out firing on Friday.
One of the clear stars to emerge from this team is Domantas Sabonis. Sabonis is entering the sixth year of his career. He has consistently improved every year and is one of those guys that is constantly slept on. Sabonis had a dominant game against Charlotte and looks poised to have a full on break out season this year. Pacers fans should fully hop on this train because Domantas Sabonis is on his way to outright stardom. If the Wizards hope to win this game they will need to contain the big man.
Another bright spot on this team is the rookie Chris Duarte. Duarte proved that he was worth the thirteenth overall pick on Wednesday night. The rookie put up 27 in 33 minutes of play. If Duarte can become a consistent scorer he will prove to be an integral part of the team. Obviously it's a small sample size but it is a very good sign to see success from a rookie early in the season. The jump to the NBA can be too difficult for many players, but not Duarte. Pacers fans should feel great about their rookie.
Why The Wizards Could Cover The Spread
Washington started off the season on the right foot. They dominated the Raptors, holding Toronto to only 83 points. Washington was on the road against a solid team and took care of business. The Wizards are fighting to show that they are a legitimate team this year. They will look to carry the momentum from their win into their home opener against Indiana.
Leading the way for Washington is Bradley Beal. Beal has cemented himself as one of the best scorers in the league. There were questions about how Washington would cope with John Wall's departure. Beal made it clear that he can pick up the slack. Last year was the best season of Beal's career. He averaged a career 31.3 points per game. The guard is a scoring machine and most teams had no answers for him. Bradley Beal will lead the charge in this game and look to keep the Wizards win streak alive.
The Washington Wizards made the move to acquire Montrezl Harrell. Harrell has consistently been one of the best bench players in the league. He proved on Wednesday night that this trend will certainly continue into this season. Harrell put up 22 points in 26 minutes of play. Montrezl proved that he can spark any team and will be a huge addition to the Wizards. He will look to replicate that performance Friday night, and if he does then it should make things tough for Indiana.
Final Pacers-Wizards Prediction & Pick
This game should be good. These teams had different opening night experiences and will be coming in with different mindsets. Indiana is coming off a devastating loss to Charlotte. While Washington had a dominant season opener. The Pacers will to be planning to attack this game and Washington will want to defend their home court. The line is pretty thin for this game and it should be close. Indiana is an underdog heading in and they should be your pick. Charlotte is a tough team and the Pacers should have won that game. Indiana is hungry for that first victory, pick them to win and cover.
FINAL PACERS-WIZARDS PICK: Indiana Pacers +2.5 (-112)
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Pacers 115 – Wizards 110
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