We've got NBA action for you all day as we begin our slate in the early afternoon with another betting prediction and pick. The first game takes us to a cross-conference matchup between hot teams as the Indiana Pacers (23-15) will take on the Denver Nuggets (27-13). Check out our NBA odds series for our Pacers-Nuggets prediction and pick.

The Indiana Pacers are currently second in the Central Division and they hold the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference standings, tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers. They've gone on a serious hot streak, winning nine of their last 10 games and winning three consecutively before this upcoming contest. They'll hope to keep momentum rolling against Denver.

The Denver Nuggets are third in the Northwest Division and they're third in the Western Conference, just one game back of the lead. They've kept it consistent going 7-3 in their last 10 games and looking like another championship version of themselves. They'll come into this game with an added day of rest following their decisive 125-113 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NBA Odds: Pacers-Nuggets Odds

Indiana Pacers: +11 (-108)

Moneyline: +425

Denver Nuggets: -11 (-112)

Moneyline: -575

Over: 239.5 (-108)

Under: 239.5 (-112)

How to Watch Pacers vs. Nuggets

Time: 3:30 p.m. ET/ 12:30 p.m. PT

TV: Bally Sports Midwest, Altitude Sports, NBA League Pass

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Pacers Could Cover The Spread

After losing their stride for a while following the NBA's In-Season Tournament, the Indiana Pacers have returned to form and clawed their way back to a top-four spot in the East. Their last 10 games have been anything but a cake walk, as they've taken down formidable opponents in the Knicks, Bucks (x2), Hawks (x2), and Celtics. Tyrese Haliburton went down with a hamstring injury in their win over Boston, but the Pacers have been able to stay calm and collected in his absence. They've won their last two games as players like Myles Turner and Ben Mathurin are stepping up in major ways. As long as they can continue their team chemistry and flow through the offense, they should be fine without Haliburton for the time being.

This will be the first time the Pacers bring their high-octane offense against Denver and it should be a solid test to see how they stack-up against the defending champs. While Tyrese Haliburton will remain sidelined for at least another week, the Pacers should continue to work their offense through the two-man game of Mathurin and Turner in the pick-and-roll. Myles Turner has also done a great job at improving his three-point shooting this season, so the Pacers could look to spread the floor and bring Nikola Jokic out to defend along the perimeters. Look for the Pacers to really push the tempo and try to outrun the Nuggets in this one.

Why The Nuggets Could Cover The Spread

Nikola Jokic is up to his usual antics and he messed around and got another triple-double in the Nuggets' last win over the Pelicans. The 27-10-14 stat line was commonplace for Jokic, but his team's win over the Pelicans proved to be crucial as they took the rubber match and won the season series 2-1. The Pelicans are major threats to the Nuggets in the Western Conference, so gaining confidence over a team like that will bode very well for the defending champs come playoff time. Nevertheless, there's always something to take away from each game and the Nuggets have been struggling to take care of the ball with 17 turnovers in their last game. As games get tighter and teams start feeling the fatigue, taking care of the basketball will become crucial for a team like Denver who is often preserving a late lead in games.

To get the win against Indiana, the Nuggets will have to slow the pace down and play their brand of basketball. The Pacers are a great team in transition and while Haliburton won't be out there to conduct the offense, they still have a plethora of capable scorers that can get to the line as well. Staying out of foul trouble will be crucial as they'll need Jokic and Murray to log full minutes in this one. After a hot start to the season, Michael Porter Jr. is becoming very consistent for the Nuggets inside and his 10-rebound efforts give them a huge advantage on the boards.

Final Pacers-Nuggets Prediction & Pick

This will be a fun game between two contenders in each conference, but we still wish Tyrese Haliburton was suiting up against Nikola Jokic for the first time this season. Nevertheless, the Pacers are scorching hot right now and they stand a chance to win this game if they can get out in front of Denver in transition.

However, Denver is very big and physical inside. As long as Jokic doesn't pick up tacky fouls and send Myles Turner to the line, they should be able to limit the scoring inside. Michael Porter Jr. has a great matchup here and I expect him to be the factor that puts Denver over the top. Let's go with the Nuggets for our final prediction.

Final Pacers-Nuggets Prediction & Pick: Denver Nuggets -11 (-112)