Pacers vs. Cavaliers Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for December 29 (Back a Slow Start at Gainbridge Fieldhouse)

Pacers vs. Cavaliers Game Info

• Date: Thursday, December 29, 2022
• Time: 7:00 PM ET
• Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse -- Indianapolis, Indiana
• Coverage: BSOH and BSIN

The 2022-23 NBA season continues on Thursday with six more games, including a battle between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers. The Cavaliers rank fourth in the Western Conference with an 22-13 record, while the Pacers check in eighth with an 18-17 record. This one could go either way.

Cleveland fell short in a 125-117 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday and dropped back-to-back home games as a result for the first time all season. Meanwhile, Indiana has won three of its last four games following a 129-114 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. Which team will win on Thursday?

Pacers vs. Cavaliers Odds & Spread

Cavaliers vs Pacers Betting Information

Favorite	Spread	Favorite Spread Odds	Underdog Spread Odds	Total	Over Total Odds	Under Total Odds	Favorite Moneyline	Underdog Moneyline
Cavaliers	-5.5	-	-	223.5	-110	-110	-230	190

• All NBA betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: IND: (+154) | CLE: (-184)
• Spread: IND: +4.5 (-106) | CLE: -4.5 (-114)
• Total: 223 -- Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)

The Cavaliers enter this contest as notable road favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 7 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 223 points, which is below average compared to Thursday's projected totals.

Pacers vs. Cavaliers Betting Trends

• The Cavaliers went 41-36-5 ATS last season.
• As 5.5-point underdogs or more, the Pacers went 14-11-1 against the spread last year.
• Last season, 37 Cavaliers games hit the over.
• Out of 82 Pacers games last season, 47 went over the total.

Pacers vs. Cavaliers Prediction & Pick

Indiana was tabbed as a rebuilding team heading into this NBA season, but currently sit a game over .500 and seem motivated to win under head coach Rick Carlisle. A lot of that success has to do with third-year point guard Tyrese Haliburton. He currently leads the league with 10.2 assists per game.

Facing this Cleveland defense will be Haliburton's toughest test yet, though. The Cavaliers allow only 22.7 assist per game (No. 3 in NBA) and rank first when it comes to defensive efficiency. They have held their opponent to under 100 points 12 times this year, too. That is the highest mark in the NBA.

Cleveland is 5-0 straight up in its last five games against Indiana, so give me the Cavaliers here.

Final Score Prediction: Pacers: 106 | Cavaliers: 111

Pacers vs. Cavaliers Best Bet

As mentioned above, Cleveland's defense has thrived so far this season. It's important to note the Cavaliers' tenacity on that side of the floor starts right away. They allow the second-fewest first half points per game (53.8) and that is thanks to an opponent shooting mark of 45.8% (No. 6 in NBA).

The first half under has cashed in 20 of Cleveland's 35 games this season and has cashed in 20 of the Pacers' 35 games as well. Indiana is only averaging 52.7 first half points and allowing just 56.3 first half points over its last three games. Look for each side to focus on defense early on in this contest.

Bet: First Half Total Points Under 114.5 (-114)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.