3rd Quarter Report

After a tough defeat on the road their last time out, the Pacers look much better today on their home court. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead the Celtics 100-86.

The Pacers entered the matchup with three straight losses and they're well on their way to making it four. Can they turn things around, or will the Celtics hand them another defeat? Only time will tell.

Who's Playing

Boston Celtics @ Indiana Pacers

Current Records: Boston 4-0, Indiana 1-3

How To Watch

  • When: Wednesday, October 30, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET
  • Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse -- Indianapolis, Indiana
  • TV: ESPN
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)

What to Know

The Pacers will be in front of their home fans on Wednesday, but a look at the spread shows they might need that home-court advantage. They will host the Boston Celtics at 7:00 p.m. ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Pacers are staggering into the game hobbled by three consecutive losses, while the Celtics will skip in buoyed by five consecutive wins dating back to last season.

Last Monday, the Pacers were within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 119-115 to the Magic. That's two games in a row now that Indiana has lost by exactly four points.

Despite the loss, the Pacers had strong showings from Pascal Siakam, who almost dropped a double-double on 26 points and nine rebounds, and Tyrese Haliburton, who almost dropped a triple-double on 19 points, nine rebounds, and ten assists. That's the most assists Haliburton has posted since back in April.

Meanwhile, the Celtics beat the Bucks 119-108 on Monday.

The Celtics' win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Payton Pritchard, who went 8 for 12 from beyond the arc en route to 28 points plus five rebounds and two steals. Pritchard is trending in the right direction considering he's improved his point production for three straight games.

Indiana's defeat dropped their record down to 1-3. As for Boston, their victory was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 4-0.

While only the Celtics took care of their fans the last time they played, both teams pleased bettors by covering the spread. Looking ahead, the Celtics are the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by 6.5 points. This will be Indiana's first time playing as the underdogs at home this season.

The Pacers couldn't quite finish off the Celtics when the teams last played back in May and fell 105-102. Can the Pacers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.

Odds

Boston is a solid 6.5-point favorite against Indiana, according to the latest NBA odds.

The over/under is 235 points.

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Series History

Boston has won 8 out of their last 10 games against Indiana.

  • May 27, 2024 - Boston 105 vs. Indiana 102
  • May 25, 2024 - Boston 114 vs. Indiana 111
  • May 23, 2024 - Boston 126 vs. Indiana 110
  • May 21, 2024 - Boston 133 vs. Indiana 128
  • Jan 30, 2024 - Boston 129 vs. Indiana 124
  • Jan 08, 2024 - Indiana 133 vs. Boston 131
  • Jan 06, 2024 - Boston 118 vs. Indiana 101
  • Dec 04, 2023 - Indiana 122 vs. Boston 112
  • Nov 01, 2023 - Boston 155 vs. Indiana 104
  • Mar 24, 2023 - Boston 120 vs. Indiana 95