An Eastern Conference clash is set to go on ESPN Thursday when the Pacers host the Cavaliers. Cleveland is 55-22 following its 112-103 home win over Charlotte Sunday and have a 3.5 game lead over Toronto for the top playoff seed with five games remaining in the regular season. The Cavs travel in from Milwaukee and play back-to-back nights after battling the Bucks Tuesday night, and the Pacers will be well rested and ready after beating the Knicks in New York Sunday, 92-87.
Indiana is 41-36 and two-games in front of the Bulls for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.
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WHEN THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS HAVE THE BALL
The Cavaliers enter on a 3-0 SU and ATS run with the offense scoring at least 107 points each game. LeBron James is No. 4 in the league in player efficiency ratings and he’s scoring 25 points per game on 51 percent shooting and adds better than seven rebounds and over six assists per game.
His long range shooting has been a detriment at less than 30 percent beyond the arc, but James is 6-for-12 his last three games and 31-for-53 overall from the field.
Kyrie Irving sat out the Charlotte game with a sprained ankle, so follow his progress and status. Forward Kevin Love has shown signs recently of pulling out of a shooting funk that plagued him since the All-Star break. He is shooting 45 percent from 3-point range over his past five games.
Cavs guard J.R. Smith is three 3-pointers shy of setting the franchise record for most in a single season, and currently has 190.
The Cavaliers have a solid interior presence that ranks No. 3 in rebounding rate with Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson and LeBron James all strong inside. But the Pacers are No. 3 in the league in defensive efficiency and the Cavaliers will be worn down and the less motivated team in this match-up.
WHEN THE INDIANA PACERS HAVE THE BALL
The Pacers are below average in effective FG percentage and offensive efficiency. Forward Paul George continues to play at a high level as the team’s leading scorer at 23 points per game while launching a team-high seven three-pointers per contest. Monte Ellis is down to 14 points per game and is shooting poorly from the perimeter at 30 percent long range and hit just 2-of-11 FG in the win over the Knicks.
In the Pacers five recent home games, they scored 96, 96, 104, 92 and 91 points; all against weaker defenses than the Cavaliers top-10 efficiency unit.
With the Cavs playing at a slow pace and lacking energy following Tuesday’s game at Milwaukee and a brutal three-games in four nights last weekend in which they used maximum energy in the Sunday contest, don’t expect a lot of scoring on either side but the Pacers defense to be the difference.
LIVE BETTING SCENARIO
These NBA teams last met in Cleveland February 29 and the Cavaliers prevailed 100-96 with James scoring 33 points but the Cavs shooting just 42 percent. The early energy will belong to the Pacers, so live betting on Indiana is recommended in the first quarter and half in a near pick ‘em contest.
The Cavaliers are clearly the most talented club in the East, but they don’t always play like a most cohesive core. Interim coach Tyronn Lue is overmatched on the bench often, and the motivation will favor Indiana with more at stake in playoff positioning along with redemption for the Cavs 111-106 overtime win over the Pacers on this court back on February 1.
The last two games between these two teams saw totals posted at 203 and 208, and this situation, scheduling and Pacers motivation and defense suggests less scoring.
So look to the low side when live betting the total along with the first quarter and half.
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! Bet on the NBA today as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers square off Wednesday, April 6, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. ET at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
