At 7:00 ET, the Pacers (-309) will host the Cavaliers (+245) in an Eastern Central Division matchup. The over/under line for this game is 223.5.

Cleveland comes into this game with a 42-25 record, while Indiana is 38-30. The Pacers are favored by 7.5 points.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS INDIANA PACERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers +7.5

This game will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 7:00 ET on Monday, March 18th.

WHY BET THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 114-113 in favor of the Pacers.
  • Our projections have Pascal Siakam finishing with Pascal Siakam points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
  • From the field, we have the Pacers finishing with a field goal percentage of 51.6% and knocking down 12 threes.

Does Cleveland Have What it Takes to Win as Road Underdogs?

Today, the Cavaliers are 7.5-point underdogs against the Pacers. As underdogs, Cleveland has gone 10-12 straight-up and 12-9 against the spread. Their average scoring margin as the underdog is -1.6 points per game.

In their last three games as the underdog, the Cavaliers have a 2-0 ATS record. Overall, they are 12-9 ATS on the road and 16-14 ATS on the road.

Cleveland’s O/U record for the season is 31-35-1, and 35 of their games have had higher O/U lines than today’s line of 223.5. This year, their games have averaged 223.1 points per game.

The Cavaliers are coming off a 117-103 loss to the Rockets. They were favored by 4.5 points in that game, and the O/U line was 214.5. The teams combined for 220 points.

In the Eastern Conference, the Cavaliers are currently in 3rd place with a record of 42-25. Against other Eastern Conference teams, they are 27-17 compared to 15-8 against the West.

Heading into tonight’s game, the Cavaliers are 18th in the league in scoring at 113.6 points per game. However, they have been slightly better on the road, averaging 112.6 points per game compared to 114.5 at home.

So far this season, the Cavaliers have outscored the NBA scoring average in 44.8% of their games. In terms of pace, Cleveland is 20th in the league at 97.5 possessions per game.

When it comes to shooting, the Cavaliers are 13th in the league in field goal percentage at 47%. They are also 10th in two-point shooting at 56% but have struggled from three-point range, hitting just 36% of their shots (16th).

Coming into today’s game, the Cavaliers’ defense is giving up an average of 109.6 points per contest. In terms of two point field goal attempts, the Cavaliers defense has allowed a shooting percentage of 51.9% while allowing 36.0% from downtown.

Can Indiana Deliver Being Favored at Home?

Indiana is favored by 7.5 points today against the Cavaliers. As the favorite, the Pacers have gone 19-14 this season and have an ATS record of 15-18 as the favorite. On average, they have won games as the favorite by a scoring margin of +6.2 points per game.

In their last three games as the favorite, the Pacers have gone 0-3 against the spread. Their ATS record at home is 18-16, and they have a scoring differential of +5.3 points per game at home.

The average O/U line in Pacers games this season is 242.5 points, and their games have averaged a combined 244.2 points. Today’s O/U line is set at 223.5 points, and Indiana has a record of 35-33-0 on the over/under.

Indiana’s last game was a 121-100 win over the Nets. The O/U line for that game was 228.5 points. The Pacers covered the spread in that game, winning by 21 points as 8.5-point favorites.

Currently, the Pacers are 6th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 38-30. Against the East, they are 27-16 and 10-3 in their division. At home, the Pacers are 21-14 compared to 17-16 on the road.

When it comes to scoring, the Pacers are the best in the league with an average of 123.1 points per game. At home, they are averaging 125.8 points per game, which is also tops in the NBA.

Indiana is one of the most efficient teams in the league, shooting 50% from the field, which is also the best mark in the NBA. They are also the top team in two-point field goal percentage at 58%.

So far this season, the Pacers have outscored the NBA scoring average in 72.1% of their games. In terms of pace, Indiana is 2nd in the league at 101.6 possessions per game.

As they prepare for the upcoming game, the Pacers is focused on shoring up their defense, as they are currently allowing an average of 121.1 points per game (29th). The Pacers defense is coming off a game in which they held the Nets offense to just 47.6% shooting. Overall, they gave up 100 points to Brooklyn.