The line in Saturday night’s Celtics vs. Pacers matchup climbed a half-point in favor of Boston. That said, are the Pacers the smart bet as a 5.5-point home underdog tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET?
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
501 Boston Celtics (-5.5) at 502 Indiana Pacers (+5.5); o/u 247.5
7:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, January 6, 2023
Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Celtics vs. Pacers Public Betting Information
Our NBA Public Betting Information page indicates that 63% of public bettors are currently backing the Pacers when it comes to the spread. This information is subject to change throughout the day, however, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
Boston Celtics DFS Spin
Jayson Tatum played 24 minutes in Friday’s 126-97 win over the Jazz and dropped 30 points (6-of-12 FGs, 13-of-14 FTs), nine rebounds, five assists, one steal, one block, and five 3-pointers. Tatum, typically a consistent force, has regressed this season. However, in Friday’s game against the Utah Jazz, Tatum reminded everyone of his capabilities with a standout performance, scoring 30 points and securing nine rebounds in just 24 minutes.
Despite some challenges, he remains in the top 30 in 9-cat formats. A significant concern for Tatum has been his turnovers. Averaging 2.9 turnovers per game heading into Friday’s contest, this issue has been a persistent blemish on his game. As the season progresses, Tatum’s ability to reduce these turnovers could play a crucial role in improving his overall fantasy impact. Currently, his performance suggests more of a top-25-type player, rather than the first-round pick status many expected during draft season.
Indiana Pacers DFS Spin
Myles Turner led Indiana with 27 points (10-of-14 FGs), five rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block and two 3-pointers in 22 minutes against Atlanta on Friday.
Turner got a lot of good looks in this game, and he took advantage. This was tied for his second-highest scoring output of the season, and he did it while playing just 22 minutes. Tyrese Haliburton made life easy for Turner and ended up assisting him on all 10 of his makes. That helped Indiana dish out 50 assists as a team, which was three away from tying the NBA record for assists in a game. Turner has once again been a dominant player in fantasy hoops this season, though he only added one block in this game.
Celtics vs. Pacers NBA Betting Trends
Boston is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston’s last 6 games on the road
Indiana is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Indiana is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Celtics vs. Pacers NBA Prediction:
Take Indiana. The Celtics are just 2-5 against the spread in their last seven games against the Pacers and are just 1-7 against the number in their last eight games played in January. On the other side, the Pacers are a perfect 6-0 at the betting window in their last six games and have covered in five of their last seven home contests. Finally, Indiana is 10-3 against the spread in its last 13 games against a conference opponent.
Celtics vs. Pacers Betting Prediction: INDIANA PACERS +5.5
