Celtics vs Pacers Odds, Spread & Picks (Feb. 23)
The NBA season resumes Thursday, and the Boston Celtics (42-17. 18-10 away) continue their march to the league’s top record and home court throughout the playoffs.
It starts in the Midwest, where they visit the Indiana Pacers (26-34, 18-14 home), a team trying to work their way into playoff position.
This one will feature two of the league’s brightest young stars. Jayson Tatum is coming off an All-Star MVP performance, dropping a double-nickel in Team Giannis’ win over Team LeBron.
On the other side is budding star Tyrese Haliburton, coming off his first all-star appearance, and chasing an elusive 20-point, 10-assist season — only 13 players in history have ever hit that season mark. He’s also trying to become the first to accomplish that feat while shooting 40% from distance.
Celtics vs Pacers Odds
The NBA odds have the visiting Celtics as hefty 8.5-point road favorites, in a game that features a total of 233. It gets underway Thursday (Feb 23) at 7pm ET from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. You can watch the game live on NBA League Pass.
Odds as of Feb 22 at DraftKings. See the latest on Massachusetts sports betting.
At 18-10 away from TD Garden, Boston is tied for the most road wins in the NBA, and the fewest losses. The Pacers are 18-14 at home this season.
Boston Betting Analysis
Minus Danilo Gallinari (knee), who’s targeting a return in the playoffs, Boston starts the stretch run healthy across the board. Marcus Smart, who just returned in Boston’s last game prior to the all-star break, should be all systems go after an ankle injury.
All-star Jaylen Brown, who sported the coolest face mask since LeBron James for a facial fracture, is off the injury report. He had missed Boston’s four previous games.
Of course, the Celts will go as far as the 24-year-old Tatum takes them. A top-4 betting favorite in the 2023 NBA MVP odds, he’s sixth in the NBA in scoring at 30.6 points per game, adding 8.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists.
Boston enters this one fourth in the NBA in scoring at 117.9 points per game. They’re a top-7 unit in 3-point shooting (37.8%), rebounding (45.1) and assists (26.4).
The C’s have made great strides on the defensive end, where they’re now up to seventh in scoring defense, holding teams to 111.7 points per game. Boston holds opponents to 46.6% from the field (7th) and 35.3% from beyond the arc (10th).
Indiana Betting Analysis
The Pacers are hoping that Haliburton stays healthy for the stretch run. His knee and elbow injuries sent the Pacers spiraling. In the 10 games he missed, Indiana went 1-9.
A team that was in sixth in the East and above the play-in fray, the Pacers dropped down to 10th. As he’s tried to play his way back to form, Indiana went just 2-6 and now sit in 12th.
They did snap a 5-game losing skid with a much-needed win over the Bulls before All-Star Weekend.
The soon-to-be 23-year-old Haliburton leads the Pacers in scoring at 19.9 points per game, and is fourth in assists at 10.1 per contest, easily on his way to top Mark Jackson’s single-season franchise assist average of 8.7.
The Pacers score 114.5 points per game on the year, which ranks 15th, but they’re better offensively at Gainbridge, where their output gets to 116.7.
Indiana is 25th in field goal shooting (45.9%) and they’re 14th in 3-point percentage (36.2%). The Pacers do, however, lead the NBA in fast-break points, potting 18.8 points per game. It’s part of the reason they’re eighth in pace.
Celtics vs Pacers Betting Prediction
There’s no doubt Boston is the rightful betting favorite, but first game out of the All-Star break is literally a reset. Both teams have not played a meaningful game since February 15.
This is the second of three meetings between these two, with the Pacers winning in Boston 117-112 on Dec 21. Haliburton led the way with 33 points, as Indiana led by as many as 30.
Overall, the Celtics are 1-4 against the spread in the last five head-to-head meetings. However, Indy is 0-4 ATS in their last four games coming off a win.
Despite Boston’s great road mark, they do just own a +2.5-point differential. I’m banking on this being a closer one than expected, as both teams get their NBA-level feet wet for the stretch run.
