Celtics Shooting for Double vs Pacers

The Celtics and Pacers met last week and Boston came away with a comfortable victory.

They meet again on Monday and we have Celtics vs Pacers scores & predictions for the Eastern Conference showdown.

They look well-placed for a big year, and bettors should expect a high scoring affair at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Boston Strong

The Celtics continue to prove they are the best team in the Eastern Conference, and perhaps in the NBA.

They have an incredible 28-7 record, including four wins from their last five games. However, all seven losses have come on the road.

Having won two of three against Indiana should give them confidence, including a 118-101 victory last week. That followed a Pacers 122-112 victory, and in the first meeting, the Celtics won 155-104 in an offensive explosion.

Bettors have had solid success backing them against the spread. They are 18-15-2, which isn’t a bad record considering they’ve started most games as a firm favorite.

Led by Jayson Tatum, who is among the NBA rebound leaders with 8.7 per game, the Celtics have the edge over most teams. They have no weak links, and their bench is excellent, so the Pacers could struggle matching their depth.

With a recent road win over the Pacers on their record, we see no reason why they wouldn’t be confident of winning again. Their defense was excellent on that occasion, keeping Tyrese Haliburton to just 17 points.

“We missed a lot of shots,” Haliburton said. “They’re a really good defensive team, but we shot a lot of shots that we like. Just didn’t capitalize on them.”

There are some NBA injuries to be concerned about, but with the day off, most of the Celtics starters should play.

Pacers Looking for Statement Win

Beating the Celtics on Monday would send a message to the NBA Championship favorites.

They have already beaten them once, but rebounding from a loss would be a great sign for the Pacers, who are 20-15.

We loved what we saw when the Pacers won consecutive games against Milwaukee. The Bucks can’t figure them out, so if the Pacers make the playoffs, they’ll fancy their chances if they face the Bucks.

However, they don’t match up as well against Boston. The Celtics have shooters at every position, unlike the Bucks, and their defense is much better.

NBA spreads are giving the Pacers some chance of winning, but they need to improve their shooting. They scored totals of 140, 122, 142, and 150 before scoring just 101 against Boston, which is testament to their opponents defense.

If they can fill the bucket and knock down open shots, our Celtics vs Pacers scores & predictions could look way off.

However, even when they defeated Boston, they scored only 122 points. Boston had an off shooting night, and that’s unlikely to happen too often in 2024.

Celtics Setting the Standard

Getting a -3 line for the Celtics is tough to overlook, so we’re locking in the visitors.

Our Celtics vs Pacers scores & predictions expect the Celtics to come out strong and kick clear in the second half.

It should be a high scoring game, which helps the Celtics. They have more natural scoring talent than the Pacers, who heavily rely on a couple of players.

The sportsbook has set the total at 243.5, and we expect the Celtics to score around 128 points, which should be enough to win and cover the spread.

Our confidence would increase if Kristaps Porzingis is cleared to play. He helps spread the floor, and although listed as a game time decision, we expect him to suit up and be an integral part of the offense.

Celtics vs Pacers Scores & Predictions

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