The Boston Celtics (22-9, 11-4 Home) host the Indiana Pacers (15-16, 6-9 Away) Wednesday in what is likely to be a shootout. Indiana was narrowly defeated by the New York Knicks 109-106 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday.
Aaron Nesmith led the way in the loss with 23 points and 10 rebounds. The Pacers are ninth in the Eastern Conference. Boston lost their third in a row at home in a close one on Sunday at TD Garden, falling to the Orlando Magic 95-92.
Jaylen Brown had 24 points and 14 rebounds in the loss to lead the team. The Celtics are zero games behind the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference, currently sitting in second. The teams are meeting for the first time this season.
Boston won three out of four games between the teams last season, including a 128-123 triumph in their last meeting at TD Garden on April 1. Brown led the Celtics with 32 points and seven assists. Tyrese Haliburton had 30 points in the loss. Haliburton (19.5 ppg), Bennedict Mathurin (17.9), and Buddy Hield (17.7) have led the Pacers in scoring this season.
Haliburton leads the league in scoring. Haliburton also has dished 10.7 assists per game, most in the league. Meanwhile, Myles Turner is grabbing 7.8 rebounds per game.Jayson Tatum (30.2 ppg) and Brown (26.4) have supplied much of the Celts’ offense.
Tatum leads the league in scoring, while Brown is first. Tatum also has pulled down 8.2 rebounds per game, most in the NBA. Marcus Smart has recorded 7.3 assists per game. The Pacers and the Celtics are the two highest-scoring teams in the NBA with 114.6 points per game on average.
The Pacers have had limited success at TD Garden in recent seasons, losing eight of the last 10 visits. Indiana is 3-7 in the last 10 games with an average margin of -3.5 (112.5-116.0).
Boston has split the last 10 (5-5), scoring 111.7 points per game on average while allowing 110.7 (+1.0 margin). The Celtics are averaging 118.2 ppg for the full season while allowing 112.2.
PACERS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Aaron Nesmith: 19.2 | 13.3 | +5.9
Jalen Smith: 12.2 | 17.9 | -5.7
Points per game:
Jalen Smith: 7.4 | 10.5 | -3.1
Rebounds per game:
Jalen Smith: 3.4 | 6.3 | -2.9
CELTICS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Derrick White: 9.4 | 15.8 | -6.4
Points per game:
Al Horford: 7.0 | 9.9 | -2.9
SportsTips’ NBA Pick:
Indiana Pacers +10.5 (-115)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
