Young Point Guards Face Off When Pacers and Thunder Meet
Pacers vs Thunder Spreads, Matchup and More
The Indiana Pacers travel to Oklahoma City after a win in Orlando on Sunday, aiming to extend their winning streak to two against the youthful Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder, boasting the league’s second-best record, are fresh off a win against Memphis Sunday and will look to extend their three-game winning streak. Pacers vs Thunder spreads opened at Thunder -6 with a total of 236.
Tyrese Haliburton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are the ones to watch as two of the league’s best young point guards will match up on Tuesday.
Gilgeous-Alexander, currently third in the league in scoring, is one of the breakout stars this season and is now only +325 as the second favorite to win MVP. Meanwhile, Haliburton is leading the league in assists and offensive rating.
NBA scores and predictions can’t foresee what will happen Tuesday so continue reading for more on Pacers vs Thunder spreads and odds.
Pacers vs Thunder 
Day/Time:
Records: Pacers (36-30)/Thunder (45-19)
Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Streaming: NBA League Pass, Bally Sports OK, Bally Sports Indiana
Thunder Only Happens When It’s Raining
It is raining wins in Oklahoma City. After being eliminated in last year’s play-in tournament the Thunder have shocked the league this season and currently stand alone at the top of the Western Conference.
Led by a roster without a single NBA Finals stat to their names, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren (currently the second favorite to win ROY) and the youth movement in Oklahoma has the entire league on notice.
Half-Court OFFENSE Efficiency
1. OKC—1.08 PPP
2. BOS
3. LAC
4. IND
5. MIL
6. DEN
7. DAL
8. NOP
9. SAC
10. GSW
.
28. SAS
29. POR
30. MEM—0.92Half-Court DEFENSE Efficiency
1. MIN—0.94
2. CLE
3. OKC
4. LAC
5. BOS
6. NOP
7. ORL
8. DEN
9. HOU
10. PHX
.
28. IND
29. CHA
30. DET—1.06 pic.twitter.com/iTz5YpSqde— NBA University (@NBA_University) March 4, 2024
Though the Thunder have all but locked up a spot in the NBA playoffs, they haven’t taken their foot off the gas to prove themselves as true contenders. They are coming off a blowout win against the Grizzlies on Sunday, led by the scoring of Gilgeous-Alexander and rookie Cason Wallace’s career-high 22 points.
This victory comes in a slew of wins for Oklahoma City who are now 8-2 in their last ten games. They lead the league in 3-point percentage and blocks and are in the top five in offensive and defensive ratings.
With the Pacers being second worst in the league at points allowed in the paint, Gilgeous-Alexander will likely get all he can eat while doing what he does best, attacking the rim. He scored 39 points in the Thunder’s last game against Indiana. He’s scored at least 35 points in three of the Thunder’s last five games, expect a similar line Tuesday.
Indiana Still Gelling
Indiana’s (Blockbuster?) trade with the Raptors for semi-star Pascal Siakam signaled the league that they were serious about maximizing Tyrese Haliburton’s prime.
Adding a player of Siakam’s prowess had many thinking the Pacers could turn the corner from NBA playoff hopefuls to contention in the East. At 12-12 since the trade, the team is still learning to gel with their improved roster.
The Pacers closed their road trip with a convincing 111-97 win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday. As usual, Indiana’s offense found success, shooting nearly 50% from the field, led by the scoring of Haliburton and Siakam (20 points each).
Five Pacers scored 15 points or more in this game, exemplifying the balanced offensive attack of the Pacers’ second-ranked offensive rating.
Even with the team adjusting to the acquisition of Siakam, they have remained an offensive juggernaut. They lead the league in points, assists, and FG%, and will look to match fire with fire in an offensive battle Tuesday. One NBA player who hasn’t been up to snuff on offense in the last few NBA games is Myles Turner.
He has scored under his 17.1 points per game average in seven of the last eight games. Look at the under on Turner’s point total Tuesday for a possible prop bet.
Potentially High Scoring Affair
The Pacers vs Thunder spreads opened at Thunder -6 with a total of 236. At home, the Thunder are 22-10 ATS while the Pacers are 17-15-1 ATS on the road. The Thunder being six-point favorites at home seems reasonable. But the Pacers can explode offensively on any given night and could easily cover this spread and even win.
Although these two NBA teams are offensive forces (Pacers ranked first in scoring and Thunder, third), they have been trending under as of late. Each team has gone under in four of their last five games, but at 236 the over for this game seems very possible.
For basketball betting news, NBA matchups today, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
