The Boston Celtics visit the Indiana Pacers on Monday, December 4, at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in a battle of two Eastern Conference teams coming off wins.
The Celtics vs. Pacers matchup will be the second meeting between the two teams. Boston won in their previous encounter last November 1, 155-104. Tip-off for the Celtics vs. Pacers game starts at 7:30 p.m. E.T.
The Celtics are enjoying a three-game winning streak and based on their first meeting, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle will have his hands full against the Cs. It has not exactly been smooth sailing for Indiana and the Pacers need to find a way to get better chances at snapping the Celtics run.
Read more: Pistons Losing Streak: 3 Franchise Worst Showing of Detroit in Past NBA Season
Celtics vs. Pacers December 4 Odds
Given their last outing, it is hardly surprising to see the Celtics being the heavy favorites to prevail over the Pacers. The Celtics are 4.5-point spread favorites in this matchup over the Pacers per OddsSharks.com.
Also, the Moneyline set for this encounter is -196 for Boston and +165 for Indiana with the over/under at 241.5.
Celtics vs. Pacers December 4 Preview
The Celtics are coming off a huge win over the Philadelphia 76ers on December 1, 125-119. It was their third-straight win, having previously brought down teams such as the Chicago Bulls (124-97) and the Atlanta Hawks (113-103) per ESPN.
Boston is expected to dominate on both ends against the Pacers. Even with Kristaps Porzingis still out, the Celtics remain dangerous offensively with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading the way. They are 8th in the league in scoring offense with an average of 116.7 points per game.
Defensively, the Cs are also getting it done on defense. They are second in the league right now with a 107.6 defensive rating per NBA.com. They are also controlling the boards well, third in the league in rebounding with 47.1 boards per contest.
The Pacers, on the other hand, are coming off a win over the Miami Heat, 144-129, on Saturday, December 2. It was sweet payback for Indiana who had lost their previous game against the South Beach quad, 142-132.
Indiana is expected to continue to rely on their offensive firepower. They are tops in the league, averaging 128.8 points per contest. However, their defense needs to get better if they are to even out the odds with the Celtics.
Although both teams are expected to engage in a shootout, the team that tightens up on the defensive end may get the advantage. The Celtics appear to have that advantage, something they have proven so far this season.
Tyrese Haliburton, one of Carlisle’s main guns, did not play against the Heat due to an undisclosed illness per SI.com. He is listed as questionable against Boston along with Jalen Smith.
Should Halburton be unable to play, Buddy Hield, Bennedict Matthurin, Myles Turner and Bruce Brown will have to step up to keep their offensive juggernaut going.
Celtics vs. Pacers Pick
With the Celtics rolling on both ends of the floor, registering their fourth-straight win should be imminent.
The Pacers cannot afford to engage in an offensive exchange with the Celtics, made even harder since Boston has what it takes to put their offensive guns in check.
Related Article: Timberwolves: 3 Reasons Minnesota Is a Legitimate Title Contender
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
