23): Prediction, Starting Lineups, Odds

By Andrew Norton | Feb 23, 2023, 12:44am | Updated: 2 years ago

Contents

Boston will hit the road for its first game after the All-Star break, taking on the Pacers in Indiana. See our betting picks and predictions below, featuring the updated odds and an in-depth analysis of significant matchups and advantages.

Boston Celtics Vs. Indiana Pacers Betting Odds

The Celtics are once again road favorites, this time by 8.5 points against the Indiana Pacers. Boston’s only player listed as out is Danilo Gallinaro, while Indiana’s Kendall Brown is day-to-day.

Boston Celtics Vs. Indiana Pacers Prediction

Indiana has been one of the worst teams in the NBA over the last handful of weeks, going 3-16 in its past 19 games. As a matter of fact, only the San Antonio Spurs have a worse winning percentage during that stretch.

So, what caused this awful losing streak after such a hot start to the 2022-23 regular season?

For one, Tyrese Haliburton missed ten-straight games, and the Pacers went 1-9 in that stretch. Further, Indiana’s defensive rating plummeted to nearly 121, which was third-worst for that period behind only San Antonio and Houston.

That is not company you want to be around.

Meanwhile, Boston has won seven of its past nine games and still has held onto the best record in the NBA, despite a massive surge from the Milwaukee Bucks.

Indiana and Boston played earlier in the season (December), and the Pacers were able to squeak out a win on the road. This, of course, is a “different” Indiana squad than the one from a few months ago.

In the past 19 games, the Pacers have allowed 121 points to opponents on 50% shooting from the floor and 40% from deep.

This is not a good matchup for Indiana; Boston is a better rebounding team and also defends the three-point line well (top ten in opponent 3P%.)

Expect the well-coached and intelligent Celtics team to funnel Indiana’s three-point shooters inside the arc, where it ranks just 24th in two-point percentage.

I believe Boston will grab a win, but Indiana should keep it within double-digits at home, where it has been fantastic in covering the spread (19-13 ATS.) Still, the fact that the Pacers are fully health should make this relatively competitive.

Betting Trends

Boston is 15-13 ATS on the road in 2022-23
Indiana is 19-13 ATS at home in 2022-23
The combined over record of these two teams is 57-59-3 in 2022-23

Key Matchups

Our key matchup for this game is the battle of the bigs: Robert Williams III versus Myles Turner. Check out which player has the advantage and whether or not it will be enough to lead their respective team to victory!

Myles Turner vs. Robert Williams III

Myles Turner earned himself a massive contract extension after once again beating the trade rumors. Turner has played his entire career in Indiana, ranking amongst the best shot-blockers in the NBA over the past five seasons.

Turner finally took the big step forward this year on offense that Pacers fans have been hoping for; he has averaged close to 18 points and eight rebounds on a 54/38/79 shooting split.

The last time these two teams faced each other was in December when Indiana was playing much better basketball, and the Pacers were able to steal a road game. Turner finished with just ten points and six rebounds, though, as he was shut down by the tough Boston frontcourt.

Meanwhile, Robert Williams record six points and 12 rebounds in just 22 minutes of action. Williams is not much of a scorer, but he was able to pull down double-digit rebounds on the former Texas big man.

Williams matches up well with Turner; he’s agile, long, and uber-athletic. Turner’s best bet is to pull Williams away from the rim and try to beat him off the dribble or hit some three-pointers. Still, I see Williams holding Turner to a below-average game. Advantage: Williams.

Boston Celtics Starting Lineup

PG: Marcus Smart
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: Jayson Tatum
PF: Al Horford
C: Robert Williams III

Indiana Pacers Starting Lineups

PG: Tyrese Haliburton
SG: Andrew Nembhard
SF: Buddy Hield
PF: Aaron Nesmith
C: Myles Turner

Indiana Pacers Team Pages

Key Injuries

Boston Celtics Injuries: Danilo Gallinari (Out)

Indiana Pacers Injuries: Kendall Brown (Q)

Andrew Norton

Drew is one of the NBA Lead Writers at Lineups.com, specializing in betting content such as game predictions and player props. With a deep knowledge of players and prospects, Drew has an extensive edge in covering everything NBA.