One of the most entertaining first-round series will head to a critical Game 6 when the Cleveland Cavaliers hit the road to face the Indiana Pacers. Despite a rocky regular season the Cavs entered the playoffs as the favorites to advance out of the Eastern Conference and make the NBA Finals once again. However, Indiana has given Cleveland all it can handle in this series.
The Cavaliers won on a LeBron James buzzer-beater last time out and would love to clinch a berth in the second round by hitting the road and knocking off the Pacers in this contest. Indiana certainly has no plans of folding and will be confident it can emerge victorious to force a Game 7 back in Cleveland.
This series has had plenty of twists and turns and the betting public is ready for the next chapter. The spread is small once again as another classic could be in the works in NBA basketball wagering.
Game 6 of this NBA Playoff Series is on Friday, April 27, 2018 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The contest will be nationally televised.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2018 NBA Playoffs.
Odds Analysis
The Pacers have been listed as slight 1.5-point favorites to capture Game 6. The gamblers believe in Indiana thus far, as the Pacers are getting the lion’s share of the early action to cover this spread.
The scoring total is listed at 204 points. The Pacers have done a really nice job defensively in this series and it would not be a surprise to see another defensive battle break out. Consider taking the “under” in this one as the total looks too high.
Indiana will be a slight favorite on the moneyline but this one will be a virtual toss-up and the Cavs could be a popular pick to pull the mini-upset.
Last Time Out
This series has been full of down-to-the-wire contests and Game 5 was no different. James’ dagger came as time expired to lift the Cavs to a 98-95 victory. He finished the contest with a ridiculous 44 points while adding 10 rebounds and eight assists, absolutely willing his team to the victory.
Kyle Korver added 19 points as he has been an integral part of the offense in this series by nailing shots from downtown. Kevin Love had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Domantas Sabonis had a nice game off the bench for the Pacers, finishing with 22 points on 8-of-12 from the field. Indiana didn’t get enough from Victor Oladipo, who shot an awful 2-of-15 from the floor.
Injury Report
Cavaliers guard George Hill missed Games 4 and 5 while dealing with back spasms, which caused Cleveland to use its 33rd different starting lineup of the season. While Hill isn’t the most important player on the team, much of the Cavaliers’ success often comes down to how well the complementary pieces play alongside James.
When guys like Hill, Love or Korver step up, Cleveland can hang with nearly anyone. When James is forced to do it all himself, the Cavaliers get in trouble.
Hill is averaging 8.7 points and 1.7 assists this postseason. Jose Calderon has been starting in his place. Hill came over to the team at the trading deadline when Cleveland made wholesale changes, and the team would like to get him back for Game 6. Keep an eye on his availability.
Free NBA ATS Picks
While James is the best player on the court, this series has been very competitive and it shouldn’t change in this one. The casual fan is going to back Cleveland in high-profile games like this, which should artificially push the spread in its favor. Take advantage of that by backing the Pacers, who are going to come away with the victory here at home.
Indiana is the choice to both win this game and cover the spread. It should be a defensive slugfest as both sides go through stretches where they have trouble scoring. This series deserves to go seven games and it will by virtue of Indiana’s victory in NBA basketball gambling.
NBA ATS Pick: Pacers 97, Cavaliers 92
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