Celtics vs. Pacers odds, line, spread, time: 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament picks, predictions by proven model
The 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament takes the next step on Monday evening. Two quarterfinal matchups are on the schedule, with the first taking place at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Boston Celtics visit the Indiana Pacers, with the winner advancing to the semifinal in Las Vegas to face either the New York Knicks or Milwaukee Bucks. Boston is 15-4 overall this season, the best record in the NBA, while Indiana enters at 10-8 overall and 6-5 in home games. Kristaps Porzingis (calf) is out for Boston, while Tyrese Haliburton (illness) is questionable for Indiana.
Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET in Indianapolis. For this game, SportsLine consensus lists Boston as the 5-point favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 241.5 in the latest Celtics vs. Pacers odds. Before you make any Celtics vs. Pacers picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 6 of the 2023-24 NBA season on an 86-50 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning more than $3,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Celtics vs. Pacers and locked in its NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Pacers vs. Celtics:
- Celtics vs. Pacers spread: Celtics -5
- Celtics vs. Pacers over/under: 241.5 points
- Celtics vs. Pacers money line: Celtics -194, Pacers +162
- BOS: The Celtics are 2-6-2 against the spread in road games
- IND: The Pacers are 6-5 against the spread in home games
- Celtics vs. Pacers picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Celtics can cover
Boston has the best win-loss record (15-4) and the best net rating (+9.5) in the NBA this season, with the team's defense leading the way. The Celtics are No. 2 in the NBA in defensive efficiency, giving up 107.6 points per 100 possessions. Boston is also in the top three of the league in opponent field goal percentage (44.0%) and opponent 2-point percentage (49.7%) this season. The Celtics allow fewer than 20 free throw attempts per game, one of the best marks in the league, and Boston is in the top three in assist prevention (23.3 per game). Boston's defensive rebounding is stout, securing more than 73% of available rebounds, and the Celtics are in the top quartile of the league in fast break points allowed (12.8 per game) and points allowed in the paint (44.9 per game).
On the other side, Indiana's defense is poor this season. The Pacers are allowing more than 1.2 points per possession, the second-worst mark in the league. Indiana is also dead-last in the NBA in field goal percentage allowed, 3-point percentage allowed, free throw attempts allowed and points allowed in the paint. See which team to pick here.
Why the Pacers can cover
Indiana has the benefit of home-court advantage in this matchup, and the Pacers have a stellar +7.8 net rating at home this season. Indiana is led by its dynamic offense, leading the NBA in offensive efficiency by a comfortable margin, generating 123.8 points per 100 possessions.
The Pacers are No. 1 in the league with 51.1% shooting from the field, including a league-best 60.2% mark inside the 3-point arc. Indiana is also in the top five in both 3-point accuracy (38.4%) and 3-pointers (15.0 per game). The Pacers sit atop the league in assists (30.3 per game), fast break points (17.7 per game), and points in the paint (59.9 per game) this season, and Indiana can play freely against a relatively conservative Boston defense. The Celtics are in the bottom five of the league in creating only 12.5 turnovers per game in 2023-24. See which team to pick here.
How to make Pacers vs. Celtics picks
The model has simulated Celtics vs. Pacers 10,000 times and is leaning Under the total, projecting 241 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time. You can only see the picks at SportsLine.
