Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers Preview
Heading into game two of the Eastern Conference Finals, the top-seeded Celtics lead the 6th-seeded Pacers 1-0. Tip-off is set for 8:00 PM ET at TD Garden in Boston. The Celtics are favored by -9 points, and the over/under is 224.5 points.
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Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers Head-to-Head and Key Stats
Last season, the Pacers and Celtics did not face off head-to-head. When looking back over the last three times these two teams have played, the Celtics have the leg up at 2-1. However, against the spread the Pacers went 3-0. The over/under record in these matchups was 3-0 on an average of 259 points per game.
- Across their last three road contests, Indiana has a 2-1 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 1-2, while averaging 116 points per game.
- Through their last ten home contests, the Celtics offense has averaged 109 points per game while allowing an average of 102. Boston posted an overall record of 7-3 while going 5-5 ATS.
- Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Pacers have gone 2-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.
- Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Boston has an ATS mark of 5-5 while going 8-2 straight up.
Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers Prediction
The most recent game of this Pacers vs. Celtics series was a 133-128 win for Boston. The Celtics came into the game as 9.5-point favorites, but Indiana was able to cover the spread. Going into the game, the over/under line was at 222.5 points, and the teams easily surpassed that number with a combined 261 points.
Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 36 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds. Jrue Holiday was the second-leading scorer for the Celtics with 28 points. Tyrese Haliburton had 25 points and 10 assists for the Pacers, and he hit six threes. Indiana shot 53.5% from the field, while the Celtics shot 47.5%. The Pacers made 13 threes, and the Celtics made 15.
Indiana will be looking to avenge their last game against the Celtics, which they lost by a score of 133-128. The combined scoring total of 261 easily went over the O/U line of 222.5.
This season, the Pacers have gone 52-44 on the over/under, and the over has hit in their last three games. Today’s O/U line of 224.5 is lower than their season average of 238.
Indiana has an ATS record of 52-42 this season, including a 26-22 record on the road. They have covered the spread in three straight games and have an average scoring differential of -1.6 points per game on the road.
In the Eastern Conference, the Pacers are currently in 6th place with a record of 47-35. Within the Central Division, they are in 3rd place with an 11-6 record against division opponents.
As underdogs, the Pacers have a record of 23-22 this season and are 27-16 against the spread as underdogs. On the road, their ATS record is 26-22.
Indiana’s offense is averaging 123.3 points per game this season, which is the best mark in the league. They have been even better on the road, at 119.6 points per contest. The Pacers are also near the top of the league in pace, averaging 101.2 possessions per game.
Pascal Siakam has averaged 21 points per game over his last five games on a shooting percentage of 54.2%. In this stretch, Tyrese Haliburton has averaged 19.8 points per game, while hitting 4 threes per game. Myles Turner has hit 64.7% of his shots in his last five games and averaged 17.2 points per game.
When it comes to defense, the Pacers have struggled this season, ranking 27th in points allowed per game at 119.1. This is something they will look to improve upon as they face the Celtics on the road. On the season, they are giving up 121.2 points per game away from home, which is 28th in the league.
One area where Indiana has been solid is defending the three-point line. They are first in the NBA in three-point percentage allowed at 36.6%. In fact, in 91.5% of their games, opponents have made fewer threes than their season average.
Overall, the Pacers are 8th in the league in blocked shots per game at 5.9. However, they have struggled on the glass, ranking 28th in rebounds per game.
Today, the Celtics will be looking to sweep the Pacers in their two-game series after defeating them 133-128 in their last game. The Celtics were favored by 9.5 points in that game and are favored by 9 points today.
Boston has a 47-42 ATS record this season, but they have failed to cover the spread in their last three games at home. On the road, their ATS record is 22-21 compared to 25-21 at home.
The Celtics are 45-40 ATS as the favorite this season and have won four straight games against the spread as the favorite. As the favorite, their scoring margin is +11.9 points per game.
In their last game, the Celtics and Pacers combined for 261 points, surpassing the O/U line of 222.5. This improved Boston’s O/U record for the season to 49-43-1, and the over has hit in their last three games.
In the Eastern Conference, the Celtics are in first place with a record of 64-18. Against other Eastern Conference teams, they are 41-11 and 23-7 against the West. The Celtics have won four straight games overall.
Boston comes into the game ranked 2nd in the league in scoring at 120.6 points per game. They have been even better at home, averaging 121.7 points per contest. The team’s three-point shooting has been excellent this season, as they are the league leaders in both three-point shooting percentage and three-pointers made per game.
Jayson Tatum is averaging 30.4 points per game over his last five games, and Jaylen Brown is at 22.2 in that stretch. Brown has hit 55.1% of his shots in his last five games. However, both players have struggled from beyond the arc in their last five games. For the season, Tatum is shooting 37.6% from downtown, and Brown is at 35.4%.
When it comes to defense, the Boston Celtics have been one of the best units in the league this season, ranking 3rd in points allowed per game at 108.1. They have been even better at home, giving up just 107.4 points per contest, which is 4th in the NBA.
Despite their success on the defensive end, opponents have been able to make more threes than their season average vs. the Celtics, doing so in 53.7% of games. Overall, Boston is 15th in three-point shooting percentage allowed.
One area where the Celtics have excelled is at the free-throw line, ranking 1st in made free throws allowed per game at 16.7. Over their last five games, they have been even better in that regard, giving up just 8.6 made free throws per contest.
Coming in as 9 point favorites, our projections have the Celtics picking up a 115-114 win.
Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers Betting Tips
- Take the Celtics on the moneyline
- On the spread, we like Pacers (+9)
- Projecting a combined 229 points, we like the over
Boston Celtics Injury Report
- Kristaps Porzingis – Calf – Out
- Xavier Tillman Sr. – Personal – Questionable
Indiana Pacers Injury Report
- Bennedict Mathurin – Shoulder – Out
