Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers 12/18/18: Starting Lineups, Matchup Breakdown, Odds, Daily Fantasy, Betting
Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Preview
The Indiana Pacers (20-10) will be looking for their eighth straight victory tonight as they host the Cleveland Cavaliers (7-23).
Pacers shooting guard Victor Oladipo has played in the last three wins, including a 110-99 win over the Knicks on Sunday, and he seems to be close to 100 percent. He had his best game since he’s been back with 26 points.
The Pacers took the last game of the season series against the Cavs 119-107 way back on October 27 as Bojan Bogdanovic led all scorers with 25 points.
The Cavaliers have had to rely on their bench for scoring lately, and they’ll need them again tonight as they face a team that is capable of clamping down on defense, especially on this streak.
TV Schedule
Date: 12/18/18
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Arena: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Channel: FSO/FSIND
Indiana Pacers Starting Lineup
| Position | Starter |
|---|---|
| PG | Darren Collison |
| SG | Wesley Matthews |
| SF | Bojan Bogdanovic |
| PF | Thaddeus Young |
| C | Myles Turner |
Pacers Analysis
All the talk in the Eastern Conference this season has been about the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks, but the Indiana Pacers may have something to say about that. They are two games out of first place and a half-game behind Milwaukee, which could change and cause a tie for second place if the Pacers are able to get past the Cavs tonight.
As the Pacers are playing in the first game of a back-to-back, with a matchup with the conference-leading Raptors looming tomorrow, it’s in the best interest of the team to try to get ahead early and rest their starters. Against New York, they allowed the Knicks to stay around until they rallied in the fourth quarter, but they won’t have that luxury if they plan on winning both games.
The hallmark of the Pacers over this stretch of seven wins has been defense. They are the fourth-ranked defense in the league and have held their opponents to just 97.4 points per 100 possessions.
Pacers Quick Links: Pacers Starting Lineup, Pacers Roster, Pacers Depth Chart, Pacers Injuries, Pacers News, Pacers Schedule
Cleveland Cavaliers Starting Lineup
| Position | Starter |
|---|---|
| PG | Collin Sexton |
| SG | Brandon Knight |
| SF | Cedi Osman |
| PF | Kevin Love |
| C | Ante Zizic |
Contents
Cavaliers Analysis
The post-LeBron era Cavs are having a hard time finding an identity aside from being the post-LeBron Cavs. They are 7-23 on the season and they have lost their last two games against the 76ers and Bucks.
They are on the road tonight, where they’ve only managed two wins all season. The Cavs seemed to be within reach of the 76ers, especially after a 36-point first quarter, but they allowed Philadelphia to score 39 in the fourth while they scored just 20.
Coach Larry Drew has been looking for answers and he went with the 12th different starting lineup this year in hopes of shaking things up. While they were able to get some production from their starters, it’s been inconsistent, but the bench was one positive on Sunday night, with Jordan Clarkson scoring 18 points, and new arrival Matthew Dellavedove finishing with 13.
Cleveland will be without Tristan Thompson again tonight, so look for Ante Zizic or Channing Frye to get the start.
Cavaliers Quick Links: Cavaliers Starting Lineup, Cavaliers Roster, Cavaliers Depth Chart, Cavaliers Injuries, Cavaliers News, Cavaliers Schedule
Pacers vs. Cavaliers Betting Odds
The Pacers are expected to win tonight, and it’s not even close. Indiana is currently favorited by -12 points. The over/under is 206 points.
There has been some slight movement on the moneyline. The Pacers opened at -1000 and are currently -900, with the Cavs opening at +600 and now live at +550.
The Pacers have a 66.7 percent win percentage at home and 73 percent as the favorite. The Cavs are 50.6 percent on the road and 33.3 percent as the underdog.
Odds & Line Movement Links: Indiana Pacers vs Cleveland Cavaliers, Vegas Odds (All NBA Games Today)
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DraftKings & FanDuel Fantasy Picks
Oladipo looked good in his last game, and he shouldn’t have any minutes restrictions tonight. He has a FanDuel salary of $9,600 and is projected for a big game with 42.49 fantasy points. He is likely the lone stud in this game.
You could go with several options for Indiana’s value pick, but Domantas Sabonis has been consistent off the bench for the Pacers. He is projected for 31.03 points with a salary of $6,700.
The Cavs really don’t have a player that I would consider in the stud category, and two of their better performers come off the bench. Larry Nance is the quasi-stud/value for Cleveland. His FanDuel salary of $7,000 is projected to be worth 32.17 points.
Find all of our Fanduel and Draftkings projections here: https://www.lineups.com/nba/nba-fantasy-basketball-projections.
