Boston has lost only two games in the playoffs. Interestingly, both instances were home games. The Pacers have won only two away games in these playoffs but remain the highest-scoring team in the league. In the regular season, the opponents played five games against each other, with the Celtics leading 3-2.
Boston Celtics
On May 22, at their home court, Boston defeated Indiana in overtime (133-128) in the first game of the Eastern Conference finals, taking the lead in the series (1-0). The biggest contribution to the victory was made by Jayson Tatum, who recorded a double-double (36 points, 12 rebounds, four assists). Jrue Holiday scored 28 points, and Jaylen Brown added 26.
The Celtics (64 wins and 18 losses) won the regular season. Starter Kristaps Porzingis remains injured and has been sidelined since the beginning of the playoffs.
Indiana Pacers
Indiana won two out of four quarters in the game on May 22 but didn’t have enough strength for the overtime. Three players from the losing team recorded double-doubles: Tyrese Haliburton (25 points, three rebounds, ten assists), Pascal Siakam (24 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists), and Myles Turner (23 points, 10 rebounds, four assists).
The Pacers (47 wins and 35 losses) finished sixth in the East in the regular season. Indiana traveled to Massachusetts with a full-strength squad.
Prediction
Our expert pick:
Betting experts believe that Boston should not face significant challenges in the second game of the series on their home court. The Celtics narrowly defeated Indiana in the previous game. Joe Mazzulla's team, having likely made the necessary adjustments, is expected to secure a more confident victory with the energetic support of their fans.
Our prediction — Boston to win with a spread of (-7.5) points including overtime at odds of 1.76.
Boston and Indiana have shown good scoring in their head-to-head matchups. In three of their last four games, the 250-point mark was surpassed. It seems likely that this time both teams will focus on their offense and provide an entertaining game for the fans.
Our prediction — total over 226.5 points including overtime at odds of 2.02.
Place a bet on the line of 1xBet with odds of 1.76.
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