Celtics vs. Pacers prediction: NBA odds, picks, best bets for Monday

The Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers meet for the second time in three days Monday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Boston slowed down Indiana on Saturday night, 118-101, as a seven-point road favorite.

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 38 points, while Jaylen Brown put up 31 points to push Boston to its eighth win in the last nine games.

The Pacers own the NBA‘s best offense by averaging 126.8 points per game, but Boston has limited Indiana to two of its lowest outputs this season.

In early November, the Celtics routed the Pacers, 155-104, and Saturday’s loss marked the lowest point total scored by Indiana this season.

The Pacers had won six consecutive games prior to Saturday’s defeat, which included six covers in that span.

Indiana defeated Boston at the In-Season Tournament last month, 122-112, marking the only win by the Pacers over the Celtics in the last five matchups.

In the first meeting in Boston, the Pacers were without their star guard Tyrese Haliburton in that 51-point loss. That game easily hit the Over of 234 points, but the last two meetings went the other way with Unders on 245.5 and 250.5 totals.

Indiana has scored a ton of points this season but has been stymied for the most part when facing Boston. Let’s look at another Under when these teams meet Monday.

THE PICK: Celtics-Pacers Under 244.5 (-105, BetMGM)