Pacers vs. Celtics Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for February 23 (Indiana's Downward Spiral Builds in Blowout Loss)

Pacers vs. Celtics Game Info

• Date: Thursday, February 23, 2023
• Time: 7:00 PM ET
• Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse -- Indianapolis, Indiana
• Coverage: NBCS-BOS and BSIN

The 2022-23 NBA season continues on Thursday with nine more games, including a battle between the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers. The Celtics rank first in the Eastern Conference with a 42-17 record, while the Pacers check in 12th with a 26-34 record. This one lines up as a major mismatch.

Boston enters as a victor in five of its last six games following a 127-109 win over the Detroit Pistons on Feb. 15. Meanwhile, Indiana snapped its five-game losing streak with a thrilling 117-113 win over the Chicago Bulls on Feb. 15. Which Eastern Conference squad will emerge victorious on Thursday?

Pacers vs. Celtics Odds & Spread

• All NBA betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: IND: (+275) | BOS: (-340)
• Spread: IND: +8.5 (-114) | BOS: -8.5 (-106)
• Total: 232 -- Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)

The Celtics enter this contest as clear road favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 7 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 232 points, which is about average compared to Thursday's projected totals.

Celtics vs Pacers Betting Information

Favorite	Spread	Favorite Spread Odds	Underdog Spread Odds	Total	Over Total Odds	Under Total Odds	Favorite Moneyline	Underdog Moneyline
Celtics	-8	-	-	-	-	-	-360	290

Pacers vs. Celtics Betting Trends

• The Celtics covered 43 times in 82 games with a spread last season.
• The Pacers had an ATS record of 13-5-1 as underdogs of 8 points or greater last season.
• A total of 41 Celtics games last season went over the point total.
• In 82 Pacers games last season, 47 of them went over the total.

Pacers vs. Celtics Prediction & Pick

A week off during the All-Star break shouldn't hide the fact that the Celtics and Pacers are two teams heading in opposite directions. Boston has its eyes set on the No. 1 seed in the East and continues to thrash its opponents, while Indiana is dropping out of contention and has lost 16 of its last 19 games.

Don't expect Indiana to turn things around tonight. Boston ranks fifth in defensive efficiency this year and is allowing 111.6 points per away game (No. 4 in NBA). The Celtics are also committing just 19.0 personal fouls per game (No. 5 in NBA), which means the Pacers have their work cut out for them.

Boston has won 13 of its last 17 games against Indiana, so back the Celtics with confidence.

Final Score Prediction: Pacers: 112 | Celtics: 124

Pacers vs. Celtics Best Bet

The Celtics aren't only lined up to thrive on the defensive end of the court in this game. They enter Thursday ranked sixth in three-point shooting percentage (37.8%), while the Pacers rank 29th in three-point shooting percentage allowed (37.4%). Shots should be raining from deep on Thursday.

Boston is 6-0 against the spread (ATS) in its last six games overall and 4-1 ATS in its last five games against a Central Division opponent. On the other side, Indiana is a dismal 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games overall. Look for the Celtics to start the final stretch of the regular season with a blowout win.

Bet: Boston Celtics -8.5 (-106)

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.