Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics Prediction and Betting Tips | Dec. 27, 2024

The Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics matchup is one of the eight games scheduled for Friday. Indiana is eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 15-16 record, while Boston is second with a 22-8 record.

The two teams have met each other 195 times in the regular season, with Boston holding a 109-86 lead. This will be their second meeting this season after previously playing on Oct. 30. The Pacers won that game 135-132 in OT behind Pascal Siakam’s 29 points and 11 rebounds. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 37 points.

Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics game details and odds

The Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 27, at TD Garden. The matchup will be broadcast nationally on NBA TV. It will also air locally on NBC SPORTS BOSTON and FanDuel Sports Network - Indiana. Fans can also stream it live on NBA League Pass and FuboTV.

Moneyline: Pacers (+400) vs. Celtics (-550)

Spread: Pacers (+11) vs. Celtics (-11)

Total (O/U): Pacers -110 (o232) vs. Celtics -110 (u232)

Editor's note: The odds could change close to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.

Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics preview

Indiana’s five-game winning streak snapped Thursday when it lost 120-114 to the OKC Thunder. The Pacers led by one point after the end of third quarter, but a 37-30 final period for OKC gave the team the win. Tyrese Haliburton had an off night with just four points on 2-of-6 shooting. Andrew Nembhard had 23 points, while Siakam had 22 points and 10 rebounds.

The Pacers have struggled on the road for most of the season with a 7-11 record. That is likely to continue Friday against the Celtics who are 11-5 at home.

Boston, however, has lost two games straight. It played the Philadelphia 76ers on Christmas and lost 118-114. Tatum led the team with 32 points and 15 rebounds. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White posted 23 and 21 points, respectively. The Celtics have slowed down a bit recently with a 6-4 record in the past 10 games.

Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics betting props

Tyrese Haliburton’s point total is set at 16.5. After an off-night Thursday, bet on Haliburton to bounce back with a big scoring night against Boston.

Jayson Tatum’s points total is set at 28.5. Tatum is one of the leading MVP candidates and averages 29.0 points across 27 games. Bet on the one-time champion to have another big game.

Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics prediction

The oddsmakers heavily favor the Celtics to win at home. While we expect Boston to win, it could struggle to cover the spread because of its current struggles and the way the first game between the two teams this season played out. It should be a high-scoring game, though, with the team total likely surpassing 232 points.