NBA Odds: Celtics Continue Homestand As Sizable Favorites Vs. Pacers
The Boston Celtics will aim for a fifth straight home victory Wednesday when they host the Indiana Pacers as 8 1/2-point favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Boston opened its longest homestand of the season Monday with a 110-102 win over the Washington Wizards as four-point chalk, improving its lead over the third-place Wizards to 2.5 games in the Eastern Conference going into Wednesday?s Pacers vs. Celtics betting matchup at TD Garden.
The Celtics maintain their solid grip on second place in the East, just two games back of the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers, despite posting an 8-7 straight-up record over their past 15 games and covering on just seven occasions during that stretch.
The team particularly has been shaky away from TD Garden, with just four SU wins in its past 10, 3-7 against the spread. But the Celtics have emerged as a dominant force on their home court, notching SU wins in 11 of 12, and covering in four straight to end a six-game ATS swoon.
Boston?s current home surge has been powered by a tight defense that has limited visiting squads to just 96.25 points per game. With the point total being regularly set well above 210, the UNDER also has been a strong wager, going 3-1-0 in the Celtics? past four home dates and 6-2-1 over the past nine.
That trend extends to recent visits by the Pacers. The Celtics are 3-1 SU in their past four games against Indiana, holding the Pacers to 98 or fewer points on three occasions while surrendering over 100 points just three times in their past 25 meetings in Boston, according to the OddsShark NBA Database.
The Pacers travel to Boston on a high following Monday?s 107-100 win over the Utah Jazz as two-point home underdogs, which leaves the Pacers one game back of the fifth-place Atlanta Hawks.
Indiana remains in the playoff mix despite failing to tally consecutive wins during a brutal 7-12 SU and 9-10 ATS stretch. The Pacers also have recorded just two SU wins in their past 10 games on the road, and scored more than 88 points just once in their past four outings.
Following Wednesday?s contest, the Celtics continue their homestand with a Friday night matchup with the Phoenix Suns followed by a visit from the Miami Heat on Sunday.
The Celtics have taken three of four overall from the Suns, but are 1-2 SU and ATS in their past three meetings in Boston. Conversely, the Celtics have won six straight against the Heat but failed to cover as 9 1/2-point home chalk in a 117-114 victory on Dec. 30.
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