The Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers will meet in the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals after both sides triumphed in the second round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. The Celtics made quick work of the Cavaliers in five games, while the Pacers defied the odds to win a Game 7 on the road over the Knicks. The Celtics are in the Eastern Conference Finals for a third straight season while the Pacers haven’t been to this stage since 2014.
Here’s a look at how the teams match up against each other and our pick for the series, with odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Celtics vs. Pacers predictions
Odds to win series: Celtics -1000, Pacers +700
Regular season record: Celtics 64-18, Pacers 45-37
Head-to-head record: Celtics 3-2
Boston is going to have the head-to-head edge over almost any team in the regular season but the Pacers did beat the Celtics in the knockout round of the In-Season Tournament. Indiana is also one of three teams in the East to have a winning record against teams .500 or better, so the Pacers punch above their weight well.
The Celtics did get a bit lucky with Donovan Mitchell going down late in the second round, while the Pacers battled a Knicks team that seemed to be picking up a new injury every game. We’ll see if the extended rest helps the Celtics start strong at home, where they have struggled recently in the playoffs.
Pick: Celtics in 6 games (+400)
Kristaps Porzingis is reportedly going to miss the first few games, although that hasn’t hurt Boston too much this postseason. Indiana has more depth than the Heat and Cavaliers, so the Pacers could trouble the Celtics’ bench and even things out a bit. However, the Celtics still haven’t lost back-to-back games in these playoffs and are a road juggernaut. In fact, they are undefeated on the road through two rounds. That’s hard to overcome for Indiana.
The Celtics only played the Pacers once when Pascal Siakam was on Indiana’s roster, so that could be a spot where the underdogs have a bit of an edge. Siakam has championship experience and his chemistry with Tyrese Haliburton started to emerge late in the series against New York. That duo appears to be headed for big things in Indiana and could make life tough for Boston early in this matchup.
Ultimately, I think the Celtics have too much firepower and will be focused after seeing what Indiana did to New York. The Pacers have gotten lucky with opponents missing key players but that luck could run out here. After getting some time off, I see the Celtics grabbing Game 1 easily to set the tone in the series. Porzingis should return eventually, and he’ll put Boston over the top. Indiana will put up a strong fight but the Celtics will win this in six.
