The Indiana Pacers (39-29) and Brooklyn Nets (23-46) are set to clash in Indianapolis for the first of two consecutive games. The Pacers are coming off a strong win against Dallas, marking their fourth victory in the last five games. Conversely, the Nets have struggled recently, losing four of their last five, including a defeat to Boston.
For Thursday’s game, the Nets will rest Cameron Johnson, while the Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton is questionable due to a back issue.
The game will tip off at 7 p.m. ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Bookmakers have установлены the Pacers as 8.5-point favorites, with an over/under of 222.5 points. The Pacers are favored on the money line at -361, while the Nets are underdogs at +283.
SportsLine’s projection model, which has a strong track record in NBA predictions, has provided betting insights for this matchup.
Betting Predictions
Pacers -8.5
The model favors the Pacers to cover the 8.5-point spread. Indiana’s recent form is much better than Brooklyn’s, with the Pacers winning four of their last five and the Nets losing 11 of their last 13. The Pacers are aiming to solidify their playoff seeding in the Eastern Conference. Historically, Indiana has dominated this matchup against the spread, covering in nine of the last 12 games against Brooklyn. The model predicts the Pacers will cover in 70% of simulations.
Under 222.5
The under is predicted to hit in this game. Brooklyn’s offense has been weak recently, failing to exceed 113 points in six of their last seven games. They are missing key scorers Cam Thomas and Cameron Johnson. Head-to-head matchups between these teams have also tended to be low-scoring, with the under hitting in four of the last five games. The model projects this trend to continue.
Tyrese Haliburton Under 10.5 Assists
If Haliburton plays, the model suggests betting on him to go under 10.5 assists. Coming off a back injury, his minutes could be limited. While he’s often exceeded this assist mark, his home games and games as a heavy favorite have seen him go under more frequently. The model projects him for 9.5 assists even with a standard workload.
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Jasper Hawthorne