The Boston Celtics (24-14) and Indiana Pacers (8-31) are set to face off on Monday night, going head-to-head in Indianapolis. The Eastern Conference showdown will tip off at 7:30 p.m. EST on Peacock.
Here’s a look at the Injury Report:
Boston Celtics
- QUESTIONABLE: Sam Hauser (Hamstring)
- DOUBTFUL: Jaylen Brown (Back)
- OUT: Josh Minott (Ankle), Jayson Tatum (Achilles)
Indiana Pacers
- QUESTIONABLE: Andrew Nembhard (Back)
- OUT: Bennedict Mathurin (Thumb), Isaiah Jackson (Head), Obi Toppin (Foot), Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles)
The Celtics are 5.5-point favorites on the road with -205 moneyline odds, while the total has been set at 225.5 points. With both teams still waiting on their top stars to return from Achilles injuries, here’s a preview of the matchup featuring odds and lines from DraftKings Sportsbook.
Celtics at Pacers Preview, Prediction
Celtics Preview
Boston is going to need a lot out of its backcourt Monday night, especially if Jaylen Brown winds up missing the contest with lower back spasms. Luckily for the Celtics, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard are averaging career-highs across the board, despite their respective sub-34% three-point percentages. Anfernee Simons, on the other hand, is shooting 40.6% from beyond the arc while averaging 13.4 points per game off the bench. Since the start of January, White, Pritchard and Simons are averaging a combined 51.2 points per game. Jordan Walsh and Hugo González could have to eat a lot of minutes on the wing if Brown and Hauser are out, on top of supporting Neemias Queta and Luka Garza in the frontcourt.
The Celtics lost by five to the Spurs and lost by four to the Nuggets last week, spoiling their preceding four-game winning streak. Still, Boston ranks No. 2 in offensive rating across the NBA. On the other end of the floor, its defensive rating ranks No. 16 in the league.
Pacers Preview
Regardless of Nembhard’s availability Monday night, All-Star hopeful Pascal Siakam will have a heavy offensive weight placed on his shoulders. The veteran forward had gone over 20 points in seven straight games before scoring 11 on Saturday, when the Pacers ran away with a 24-point win over the Heat. Also look for Aaron Nesmith to be aggressive, considering he is averaging 14.4 points per game in his last seven appearances against the team that drafted him. Indiana would probably miss Nembhard’s 17.6 points per game if he doesn’t suit up, but T.J. McConnell could make up for his 7.0 assists per game. McConnell is averaging 14.0 points, 7.0 assists and 2.3 steals per game over his last three contests.
The Pacers’ 13-game losing streak that spanned from December into January is officially over. They snapped it by beating the Hornets 114-112, then the Heat 123-99. On the whole this season, though, Indiana ranks No. 20 in defensive rating, No. 29 in offensive rating and No. 27 in net rating.
Celtics at Pacers Pick, Best Bet
For as cold as Indiana has been over the past month, it has covered a plus-5.5-point spread in seven of its last 17, four of its last six and each of its last three. It hasn’t lost by more than 10 points since Dec. 27.
The Celtics and Pacers have played twice, with the C’s winning by eight in Indianapolis and winning by 18 in Boston. The first game reached 198 points, while the second finished at 262. Such a massive disparity makes it hard to get a feel for which direction the third meeting will go from a point total perspective, especially with a laundry list of injuries, so it’s probably best to just avoid making that bet.
Brown broke 30 points in both games, so losing him could shift the dynamic between the two conference foes. Especially if the Pacers have Nembhard in their lineup – he is averaging 19.0 points and 7.5 assists per game against Boston this season – they should be able to make this one close.
