As a part of the full 15-game slate to conclude the NBA season, the Indiana Pacers will face off with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Both teams will be getting an early start in resting up for the playoffs with Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam each having been ruled out due to injury management. Each of these teams is locked into their spot in the standings with the Cavaliers having run away with the top seed in the East while the Pacers will be the fourth seed.
Keep a close eye on the injury report for this matchup and the rest of the NBA slate as tip-off inches closer. Seeding has been fully established in the Eastern Conference while only four teams in the West still have something to play for. With injury risk at the forefront of every organization’s mind, expect a cautious approach to the players receiving minutes.
This will put a bow on the season for Haliburton and Siakam. Statistically, Haliburton took a step back this season averaging 18.6 points, 9.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game, missing the All-Star roster for the first time since 2021-22. However, he has played his best basketball down the stretch of the season averaging 20.6 points and 11 assists per game since the All-Star break. Siakam has settled in with the Pacers in his first full season and made it back to the All-Star game averaging 20.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game this year.
Expect some extended minutes from the Pacers players such as T.J. McConnell and Obi Toppin. The larger focus will be on the upcoming playoff matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks for the second consecutive season. Indiana took down Milwaukee in six games last year in a matchup that showed the potential for a real rivalry.
Expect these hard feelings to return to the surface as these teams prepare for battle in the playoffs for the second straight game. The Pacers are considered -175 favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook while the Bucks hold +145 odds of winning the series.
