The Indiana Pacers remained among the Eastern Conference elite for much longer than expected this season before eventually dropping back because of a poor finish to the regular season. The team would love to turn it up when the playoffs begin and surprise both fans and bettors alike.
The Pacers have a tough task as they match up against the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Boston was not as successful as projected in the regular season but has a talented collection of players and is still on the short list of teams expected to compete for the Eastern Conference berth in the NBA Finals.
Indiana will be a sizable underdog in this series and would pay off lucratively if it manages to come away with the upset and advance to the second round in NBA wagering.
This NBA basketball series between the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics will be held at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts and the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The games will be nationally televised.
We'll have NBA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2019 NBA postseason.
Odds Analysis
The Pacers wrapped up the regular season with a record of 48-34. It was not a good finish to the year, as they dropped nine of their final 14 games to limp into the postseason. Indiana and Boston were neck and neck for the No. 4 seed for the final several weeks but the Pacers’ late struggles gave the Celtics the upper hand.
Boston finished the year with a mark of 49-33. The Celtics get the home court advantage in this series and that could be important, as the team is an impressive 28-13 at home.
Boston hopes to live up to the oddsmakers’ faith and come away with the first round win in NBA odds.
Season Series
The Celtics were able to claim three of the four matchups between these teams in the regular season. Indiana struck first in the early part of the season, claiming a 102-101 victory behind 24 points and 12 rebounds from star Victor Oladipo. The problem is that Oladipo was eventually lost for the season due to injury, which affected the team down the stretch.
Boston won the second matchup in early January by a score of 135-108, as its offense dominated from start to finish. The third game between these teams was another close one, with the Celtics eking out a 114-112 win in Boston in late March. The teams matched up for a fourth time less than a week ago and the Celtics cruised to a 20-point victory.
Injury Report
The Celtics are dealing with some injuries to key players. Guard Marcus Smart has an oblique injury which he suffered on Sunday, and he is not expected to play in this series. While Smart isn’t a huge scorer, he helps run the offense and is a lockdown defender on defense, so it’s a pivotal loss.
Boston is hoping to have a healthy Jayson Tatum, who is recovering from a bruised shin. An MRI on the injury came back clean, so keep an eye on his status as Tatum is one of the Celtics’ top players.
The Pacers are hoping to have shooting guard Wesley Matthews available for the start of the series. He is dealing with a sprained toe that could hinder his ability or performance.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Pacers are scrappy enough to keep things close throughout this series, and they should be considered often when it comes to the spread. However, the Celtics are clearly the superior team and should be able to advance to the second round of the playoffs in the East.
Boston will come away with a few close wins against the Pacers to punch its ticket into the Eastern Conference semifinals in NBA gambling.
NBA ATS Pick: Boston Celtics to knock off Indiana Pacers in six games
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
