The Celtics are all set to face off against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, May 23. Today’s game is slated to tip off at 8:00 ET and will be shown on ESPN. Boston enters this contest as 9-point favorites, and the over/under total stands at 224.5. Can the Pacers come out on top as the favorite? Our Celtics vs. Pacers predictions can be found below.
Celtics vs. Pacers Odds
- Spread: Celtics -9
- Total 224.5
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Game Info
- Date: Thursday, May 23
- Time: 8:00 ET
- Location: TD Garden, Boston MA
- TV: ESPN
Pacers Betting Trends
- Over their last five games, the Pacers have an over/under record of 3-2 and are 4-1 vs. the spread.
- In their last five road games, Indiana has averaged 117 points per game while allowing 122. The team’s record in this stretch was 1-4 while going 3-2.
- In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Pacers have a straight up record of 4-6 and an ATS mark of 6-4.
Celtics Betting Trends
- In their last five games, the Celtics have an over/under record of 4-1 and are 2-3 vs. the spread.
- Across the Celtics last ten home games, the team averaged 109 points per game while allowing 102. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 5-5, while going 7-3 straight-up.
- Through their previous five contests as the betting favorite, the Celtics have a strong record of 4-1. Their record vs the spread in these matchups is 1-4.
Will Indiana Secure A Victory as Road Underdogs?
The Pacers have an O/U record of 52-44-0 this season, and the over has hit in their last three games. On average, their games have finished with 241.2 points per game, which is higher than today’s line of 224.5.
Indiana’s ATS record for the season is 52-42, and they have covered the spread in their last three games. On the road, they are 26-22 ATS compared to 26-20 ATS at home.
As underdogs, the Pacers are 23-22 straight up and 27-16 vs. the spread. Today, they are getting 9 points on the spread and have gone 4-2 as underdogs vs. the spread.
In their most recent game, the Pacers lost to the Celtics by a score of 133-128. The O/U line for that game was 222.5, and Indiana covered the spread as 9.5-point underdogs.
Indiana is currently 6th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 47-35. Against the East, they are 32-20 compared to 15-15 in non-conference games. In the Central Division, they are in 3rd place.
Indiana is the NBA’s top-scoring team this season, at 123.3 points per game. They have been even better on the road, averaging 119.6 points per contest. The Pacers are also a solid team in terms of pace, averaging 101.2 possessions per game.
Pascal Siakam has been playing well of late, averaging 21 points per game on a shooting percentage of 54.2%. Over these games, he also averaged 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Tyrese Haliburton is averaging 19.8 points per game in his last five games, while knocking down 4 threes per game. For the season, Haliburton is averaging 20.1 points and 10.9 assists.
Will the Celtics Win at TD Garden?
In the Eastern Conference standings, the Celtics are in 1st place with a record of 64-18. Against other teams in the East, they are 41-11 and 23-7 in non-conference games.
At home, the Celtics are 42-6 and have won 2 straight games. Their average scoring margin at home is +14.4 points per game. Against the spread at home, they are 25-21 and 45-40 overall.
On average, Celtics games have seen a combined scoring total of 227.5 points per game. Today’s O/U line is set at 224.5, and the team’s over/under record for the season is 49-43-1. The team has gone over the O/U line in their last three games.
In their most recent game, the Celtics beat the Pacers by a score of 133-128. The O/U line for that game was 222.5. Boston was favored by 9.5 points and won by 5. This season, the Celtics are 71-18 as the favorite and have covered the spread in their last three games.
For the season, the Celtics are the NBA’s second-ranked scoring offense, at 120.6 points per game. They have been even better at home, with 121.7 points per contest. Boston leads the league in three-point shooting percentage, at 38%, and they are also the league leaders in three-pointers made, at 16.5 per game.
Jayson Tatum is averaging 30.4 points per game over his last five games, and Jaylen Brown is at 22.2 points per game in that stretch, while also hitting 55.1% of his shots from the field. Tatum has also been hitting the boards, averaging 10.6 rebounds in his last five games. The Celtics’ leading three-point shooter is Derrick White, who is averaging 39.6% from beyond the arc.
Celtics vs. Pacers Player Props
A player prop we are looking at is Pascal Siakam and his points prop of 20.5.
Currently, the over for this prop is sitting at a payout of -108 while the under is at -127. Considering his prop is set at 20.5, our model recommends taking the over, as we expect him to finish with 23. We anticipate him shooting 52.9% from the field and making one three.
- The Prop: Pascal Siakam Over 20.5 Points (-108)
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Celtics vs. Pacers Predictions
For a point-spread bet in this Pacers vs. Celtics matchup, we’re leaning towards the Pacers at +9. Although our projections show the Celtics winning 115-114, we suggest placing your bet on the Pacers for the point-spread.
As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 224.5, and our model projects the Pacers and Celtics to reach a combined total of 229 points. Our bet is on taking the over.
The Pick: Pacers +9 | at Fanduel Sportsbook