The Indiana Pacers (47-35) travel to face off against the Boston Celtics (64-18) on Thursday, May 23rd. This game will be played at TD Garden in Boston and televised on ESPN. 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 8:00 ET.

Pacers vs Celtics

The most recent game of this Pacers vs. Celtics series went in favor of the Celtics, as they won by a score of 133-128. Going into the game, the Celtics were 9.5-point favorites, but the Pacers covered the spread. The over/under line for the game was 222.5 points, and the teams easily surpassed that number, with their combined 261 points.

Jayson Tatum had a big game for the Celtics, finishing with 36 points and 12 rebounds. Jrue Holiday also had a good game for the Celtics, finishing with 28 points. On the other side, Tyrese Haliburton had 25 points and 10 assists for the Pacers.

Pacers Offense Breakdown

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. Looking at their field goal percentage, the Pacers are leading the NBA, at 50%.

Pascal Siakam has averaged 21 points per game over his last five games, on a shooting percentage of 54.2%. This also came with 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Tyrese Haliburton’s season-long numbers are 20.1 points and 10.9 assists, and over his last five, he has hit 41.7% of his threes and averaged 4 made threes per game.

Celtics Offense Breakdown

Offensively, the Celtics are averaging 120.6 points per game this season, which is the 2nd best mark in the league. At home, they have been even better, putting up 121.7 points per contest. Boston leads the league in three-point shooting percentage, at 38%, and they are also the top team in three-pointers made per game, at 16.5.

Jayson Tatum has been carrying the Celtics offense of late, averaging 30.4 points per game in his last five games. Jaylen Brown is also playing well, averaging 22.2 points per game in his last five games, while also shooting 55.1% from the field. Overall, Tatum is averaging 37.6% from three, and Derrick White is averaging 39.6% from beyond the arc.

Pacers Team Defense

When it comes to points allowed, the Pacers are 27th in the league at 119.1 points per game. However, over their last five games, they have been better, ranking 15th at 111 points per game. On the season, opponents have made just 10.9 threes per game against Indiana, which is the best mark in the NBA.

Indiana has been able to limit three-point attempts, as they are first in the league at just 29.8 three-point attempts allowed per game. One area where the Pacers have struggled is at the free-throw line, as they are last in the league at 25.6 made free throws allowed per game.

Celtics Team Defense

When it comes to defense, the Boston Celtics have been one of the best units in the NBA this season. They have allowed just 108.1 points per game, which ranks 3rd in the league.

One area where the Celtics have been particularly strong is in terms of free throws allowed. They are giving up just 16.7 made free throws per game, which is best in the NBA.

Over their last five games, Boston has been even better in terms of points allowed, giving up just 107.8 per contest. During that stretch, opponents have made just 8.6 free throws per game.

Key Players For The Pacers And Celtics

Our projections for today’s game indicate that Pascal Siakam will be the primary scorer for the Pacers, with 22 points and going 9/16 from the field. For the season, he has been averaging 21.7 points per game, in addition to 7.1 rebounds.

As for Boston, Jayson Tatum is projected to be the primary scorer for the Celtics. Our forecast has him finishing the game with 27, and adding 8 rebounds. This season, he is shooting at a field goal percentage of 47.1%, and his scoring average is 26.9 points per game.

Pacers vs Celtics Trends

• Through their last ten road games, Indiana has an ATS record of just 5-5. However, their overall record was 3-7 while averaging 115 points per game.
• In their last ten games at home, the Celtics have a straight up record of 7-3 while going 5-5 vs. the spread. The team averaged 109 points per game in this stretch.
• Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, Indiana has an ATS mark of 2-1 while going 1-2 straight up.
• Through their previous three contests as the betting favorite, the Celtics have a strong record of 3-0. Their record vs the spread in these matchups is 0-3.

Pacers vs Celtics Prediction

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.

Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 224.5 and given that our model is projecting 229 points between the teams, we like 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.