The Indiana Pacers (15-17) travel to face off against the Boston Celtics (23-8) on Sunday, December 29th. This game will be played at TD Garden in Boston and televised on NBCS. The Celtics are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Pacers are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Pacers. Tip-off is set for 6:00 ET.

Pacers vs Celtics

The Pacers Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Pacers fell to 15-17 on the season after a 142-105 loss to the Celtics on Friday. Indiana, who entered the game as +12 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game finished at 247, well over the pre-game line of 230.5.

Boston took control early with a 10-0 run, stretching the score from 18-13 to 28-13. The Pacers couldn’t recover, trailing 39-22 after the 1st quarter. Indiana was down 103-78 heading into the 4th, and Boston outscored them 39-27 in the final period.

The Celtics Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Boston improved to 23-8 on the season with a dominant 142-105 win over the Pacers on Friday. Playing at home, the Celtics were favored by 12 points and easily covered the spread. The game’s total of 247 points exceeded the O/U line of 230.5 by 16.5 points.

The Celtics set the tone early with a 10-0 run, stretching their lead from 18-13 to 28-13. They outscored the Pacers 39-22 in the 1st quarter and maintained control throughout, winning each quarter. Boston led 103-78 going into the 4th and closed out the game strong, outscoring Indiana 39-27 in the final period.

Pacers Offense Breakdown

The Pacers struggled offensively in their loss to the Celtics, shooting just 41.8% from the field and 28.2% from three-point range, hitting only 11 threes. Tyrese Haliburton led the way with 19 points and 9 assists, while Bennedict Mathurin added 18 points.

Jarace Walker contributed 15 points, scoring 9 of those in the 4th quarter. Haliburton also had 9 points in the 3rd quarter, and Pascal Siakam scored 8 of his 14 points in the 2nd quarter.

Celtics Offense Breakdown

Jaylen Brown’s 44-point performance, including 15 in the 1st quarter, led the Celtics to a 142-105 win over the Pacers. He hit 6 threes at 54.5% and shot 66.7% from the field overall. Jayson Tatum added 22 points and 13 rebounds, scoring 12 in the 3rd quarter.

Boston connected on 23 three-pointers, shooting 41.1% from deep and 51.1% overall. Payton Pritchard contributed 18 points, 10 assists, and 4 made threes.

Pacers Team Defense

The Pacers struggled defensively, giving up 142 points to the Celtics, who shot 51% from the field. Indiana allowed 39 points in both the 1st and 4th quarters, with Boston scoring 36 in the 3rd.

From beyond the arc, the Celtics hit 23 threes at a 41% clip. Boston also went 25/29 from the free-throw line. The Pacers recorded 26 defensive rebounds while allowing 18 offensive boards.

Celtics Team Defense

The Pacers struggled defensively, allowing 142 points to the Celtics, including 39 points in both the 1st and 4th quarters. Indiana couldn’t slow down Boston’s offense, which shot 51% from the field.

From beyond the arc, the Celtics hit 23 threes at a 41% rate. The Pacers sent Boston to the line 29 times, where they made 25 free throws. Indiana also gave up 18 offensive rebounds while recording 5 steals and 3 blocks.

Pacers vs Celtics Trends

• When looking at their past three road matchups, Indiana has an ATS record of 2-1 while averaging 112 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
• Through their last ten home games, Boston has an ATS record of just 4-6. However, their overall record was 8-2 while averaging 118 points per game.
• The last three games that Indiana was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 1-2 straight up.
• In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Celtics have a straight up record of 2-3 and an ATS mark of 2-3.

Pacers vs Celtics Prediction

Not only do we have the Celtics winning this one by a score of 142-126, but we see them covering the spread. Our pick is to grab the Celtics at -11.5.

As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 233.5, and our model projects the Pacers and Celtics to reach a combined total of 268 points. Our bet is on taking the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.