Point Spread: Bos -8/Ind +8
Total: 234.5
Money Line: Boston Celtics -340/+265
Notable Injuries
Celtics
- Danilo Gallinari (Out) Knee
Pacers
Recent Form
Heading into the game, Boston is 42-17 overall. When taking to the road, Boston has a mark of 18-10 and a win percentage of 64%. Currently, the team is 1st in the Eastern Conference. So far, they are 31-26-2 vs the spread. When looking at how the team has performed of late straight and vs the spread, they are 4-1 in their past 5 games and 4-0-1 ATS. Over their past 10 games, they are 7-3 SU and 6-3-1 ATS.
In their previous game, the Boston team emerged victorious against the Pistons, winning by a margin of 12 points as predicted. Jayson Tatum shone for the Celtics, scoring 38 points on a shooting percentage of 62.5%. The Celtics not only won the game but also successfully covered the spread.
Heading into the game, Indiana is 26-34 overall. When playing at home, Indiana has a mark of 18-14 and a win percentage of 56%. Currently, the team is 12th in the Eastern Conference. So far, they are 31-28-1 vs the spread. In Indiana’s last 5 games, the Pacers have a straight-up record of 1-4 while going 2-3 in those games. Going back to the last 10, they are 2-8 and 4-6 ATS.
In their last game, Indiana defeated the Bulls (117-113) as 3-point favorites. Buddy Hield led the team with 27 points on 66.7% shooting. The Pacers also covered the spread with the victory.
The Historicals
In the most recent matchup between the two teams, the Pacers picked up the win 117-112 win over the Celtics. Heading into the game, Indiana was the 9.5-point underdogs, giving them an ATS win. This has been the only matchup between the two teams this season. Through the last 5 matchups between the teams, Indiana has an ATS mark of 4-1. But, looking at the scoring margin in these games, an average of just 0 points per game separates the teams. The over-under record in these same games is 3-2, with the teams combining for an average of 226 points per game.
Analysis
For the season, Boston has put together one of the top-scoring offenses in the NBA at 117.9 points per game. When looking at their style of play, the team is currently near the league average in pace, averaging 99.4 possessions per contest. The Celtics have been able to put together a strong offensive attack despite sitting just 5th in 3-point shooting percentage. Overall, they are among the league leaders in attempts at 42.2 attempts per game. Defensively, the Celtics have been one of the best units in the NBA, allowing just 104.48 points per game. So far, they have done an excellent job defending the 3-point arc, allowing teams to hit just 33.86%.
As the Celtics prepare for today’s game, Jayson Tatum is their leading scorer with an average of 30.6 points per game. This season, Tatum has a field goal percentage of 46.4%. The team’s second-leading scorer is Jaylen Brown, who is averaging 26.5 points per game.
This season, the Pacers have loved to get up and down the court, as they are currently 10th in the league in possessions per game. However, this has not fully translated into the offensive success they are looking for, as Indiana is 15th in scoring at 114.5 points per game. The three-point shot has been a big part of Indiana’s offensive game plan, as they are ranked 6th in 3-point attempts per game. So far, they have connected on 36.2% of their looks from outside. Defense has been a struggle for Indiana, as they are currently allowing 114.94 points per game. The team’s 3-point shooting defense has been a problem this year. So far, opposing offenses have hit 36.78% of their looks from the outside.
Coming into today’s game, Buddy Hield is the leading scorer for Indiana at 17.5 points per game. This season, Hield has a field goal percentage of 45.3%. The team’s second-leading scorer is Bennedict Mathurin, at 17.2 points per contest.
Betting Trends
Celtics are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game. Celtics are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win. Pacers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games. Pacers are 5-12 ATS in their last 17 games overall.
