Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Predictions, Odds, Picks

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

4 minute read

Jan. 2, 2022

Michael Crosson
VI Betting Expert
VegasInsider.com

Nationally televised NBA coverage will resume Sunday evening with a compelling Eastern Conference matchup between the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers. Coverage begins from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse at 6:00 p.m. ET on NBA TV.

Score Prediction

Cavaliers 114, Pacers 106

Best Bets

Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Predictions

After finishing 13th in the East with a record of 22-50 SU last year, Cleveland jumped out to a surprisingly strong start to the season, as the Cavaliers opened with a sturdy 19-12 SU and 24-7 ATS run – despite getting tagged as favorites in just eight of those contests.

The tables turned on Cleveland recently though, considering the Cavaliers enter Sunday 1-4 SU and ATS across their last five games, despite getting tagged as favorites in three of those contests.

On the other hand, Indiana posted a rather underwhelming start to the new season, as the Pacers kicked things off with a rocky 1-6 SU and 2-5 ATS skid – which included discouraging losses to the Hornets, Wizards, and Raptors.

The Pacers have played seemingly pedestrian basketball aside from their opening stretch though, with Indiana entering Sunday 13-16 SU and 15-13-1 ATS across the last 29 games – which is still a slight disappointment, considering they were favored in 19 of those affairs.

I’ll back Cleveland at home here, as despite the Cavs’ stooping to 6-4 SU and ATS across the last ten games, they shouldn’t have too much trouble taking down a Pacers’ squad averaging just 106.7 PPG PPG across its current 2-6 SU and 3-5 ATS skid.

Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Odds

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Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Resources

• Matchup: Central
• Date: Sunday, January 2, 2022
• Venue: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
• Location: Cleveland, Ohio
• TV-Time: NBATV - 6:00 p.m. ET

• Injury Report

Indiana Pacers Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 14-22
• ATS: 17-18-1
• O/U: 16-20

After finishing ninth in the East with a record of 34-48 SU last year, Indiana stumbled out to a somewhat worrisome start to this season, as the Pacers opened with a head-scratching 1-6 SU run – while scoring 102 PTS or less in four of those affairs (108.4 PPG).

The Pacers quickly returned to mediocrity after their unusually decrepit start though, considering Indiana sits at 13-16 SU and 15-13-1 ATS since the onset of November – ranking them 13th in the conference with an overall record of 14-22 SU.

Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 20-16
• ATS: 25-11
• O/U: 14-22

After a lousy 22-50 SU showing last year, Cleveland posted a surprisingly solid start to the new season, as the Cavaliers opened with an impressive 19-12 SU and 24-7 ATS run – despite getting tagged as underdogs in 22 of those contests.

The Cavaliers are somewhat of a rare commodity in today’s NBA though, considering Cleveland derives most of its success from excellent defense – highlighted by the Cavs’ ranking third in the league in both opponent shooting percentage and defensive efficiency rating (46.8% FG, 1.020 DE).

The Cavaliers are 1-4 SU and ATS across the last five games. (AP)

Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Head-to-Head

The Pacers swept a three-game regular-season set against Indiana last year, with the first two matchups cruising over the total set for Sunday’s affair at an average of 221.5 PPG – while the final meeting stayed under with a score of 111-102.

Key Players to Watch

• IND: Domantas Sabonis - PF (18.1 PPG, 12 REB, 4.3 AST)
• IND: Caris LeVert - SG (17.8 PPG, 3.3 REB, 4 AST)
• CLE: Evan Mobley - C (14.4 PPG, 8.1 REB, 1.8 BLK)
• CLE: Jarrett Allen - C (16.9 PPG, 10.7 REB, 1.4 BLK)

Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Conclusion

After posting a third consecutive loss on New Year’s Eve, the Pacers will hit the road on Sunday evening as narrow underdogs against the Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse – marking the seventh straight home game Cleveland has been favored in.

I’ll back the Cavaliers here, as Indiana and Cleveland have both experienced their fair share of struggles recently, considering both teams sit at 1-4 SU across the last five games – but my vote of confidence belongs to a Cavs’ squad that should be able to rally behind a strong defensive effort at home in this event.

Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Trends

• The Pacers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games.
• The Cavaliers are 1-4 SU and ATS across the last five games.
• The total has gone UNDER in six of the last nine Pacers' games.
• The total has gone UNDER in six of the last nine Cavaliers' games.

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