The Celtics are heading into today’s Eastern conference matchup against the Pacers as 5.5 point favorites on the road at BetOnline. This matchup is scheduled to tip off at 7:00 ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Do the Celtics Stand a Chance in Indianapolis?

In the Eastern Conference, the Celtics are in 1st place and have the best overall record in the NBA at 27-7. As they travel to take on the Pacers, they are favored by 5.5 points.

So far, Boston has been the favorite in 32 of their 34 games and have a scoring margin of +10.2 points per game in those games. Their straight-up road record this season is 10-7.

Against the spread, the Celtics are at .500 for the season (16-16) on average margins of +6.2 at home and -3.8 on the road. The over/under record in their games is 19-15, and the over has not hit in their OU lines have been lower than 247.

Through 34 games, Boston’s ATS record as the favorite is 14-16, and they have gone 2-0 as the underdog. The average scoring differential for the Celtics on the road is +6.2 points per contest.

The Celtics scored 126 points in their most recent game versus the Jazz, shooting 43.3% from the field and hitting 17 three-pointers. Over their last three games, the Celtics have an EFG of 56.2%, slightly higher than their season-long EFG of 56% (4th). In their five most recent games, the Celtics are shooting 35.9% from three, ranking 11th.

Coming into the game, the Celtics defense has held opposing team’s to fewer points than the league average in 29.4% of their games. Currently, they are 3rd in the NBA at 110.4 points per game allowed. Opponents are hitting 50.9% of their two-point field goal attempts this season, and they’re also connecting on 36.3% of their three-point attempts.

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Can Indiana Lock in a Home Win?

Heading into today’s matchup vs. the Celtics, the Pacers find themselves as the 5.5-point underdogs at home. If they are able to pull off the upset, they will also snap a two-game streak of being the underdog vs. Boston.

Right now, the Pacers are 6th in the Eastern Conference standings and 2nd in the Central Division on a record of 20-14. When playing teams outside of the Eastern Conference, Indiana is 3-4 for the season.

So far, the Pacers have an average scoring differential of +8.6 at home compared to -2.8 on the road. Their overall ATS record is 20-14, and they have six straight covers. When playing at home, they have an average ATS margin of +10.1 points per game as the favorite this season (11-7 ATS).

The over/under record in their games is 24-10, and the over has hit in two straight games. So far, 25 of their games have had lower over/under lines than today’s line of 247 points, and their record in these games is 17-8. The average combined score in their games with lower over/under lines than 247 is 243.8 points.

In their last game, the Pacers put up 150 points on the Hawks. They shot 63.8% from the field and knocked down 19 threes. On the season, the Pacers are shooting 51% from the field, which is tops in the NBA. When it comes to three-point shooting, they are 4th in percentage and 5th in threes made.

At this time, the Pacers’ defense is positioned 29th in the NBA, permitting 124.4 points per game. Opponents are hitting 56.0% of their two-point field goal attempts this season, and they’re also connecting on 37.6% of their three-point attempts.

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Celtics vs. Pacers Pick

Entering the game as underdogs with a spread of +5.5, the Pacers is our point spread pick. Our projections not only see them covering the spread but also indicate a solid chance of an outright victory. This is a good choice for those looking for a higher moneyline payout.

Pick: Take the Pacers at +5.5

The Total

As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 247, and our model projects the Celtics and Pacers to reach a combined total of 232 points. Our bet is on taking the under.

Pick: Go Under 247 points (-109)