The Boston Celtics will be looking to halt a three-game straight-up losing streak against Indiana when they host the resurgent Pacers on Wednesday night as 6.5-point favorites on the NBA odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Boston continued its recent dominant play on home hardwood with a 116-95 win over Brooklyn on Monday to remain undefeated in three January outings ahead of Wednesday night’s Pacers vs. Celtics betting matchup at TD Garden.
With their victory over the Nets as heavy 10.5-point chalk, the Celtics now have posted wins by double-digit margins in three straight contests, boosting the team to 6-2 against the spread in its past eight outings. Boston regularly has racked up impressive point totals of late, scoring 111 or more points in eight straight outings.
The club also has rediscovered its defensive touch in its past two outings, surrendering just 94 points per game and producing consecutive wins for the UNDER in totals betting, ending a reliable 10-1 run for the OVER. The Celtics’ perfect start to the New Year also improves their current run on home court to 5-0 SU and ATS at online sports betting sites.
However, the Celtics have struggled in recent dates with Indiana. A 102-101 loss as 3.5-point road chalk Nov. 3 marked Boston’s third straight outright loss to the Pacers as a betting favorite, and its fourth ATS defeat in as many meetings. The Celtics also have dropped three of five to Indiana in low-scoring contests at home, fueling a 5-1 run for the UNDER when these teams square off at TD Garden.
The Pacers saw a six-game SU win streak come to a halt with a crushing 121-105 loss in Toronto against the Raptors on Sunday as 1.5-point underdogs. But with SU wins in 14 of their last 17 games, including in Cleveland on Tuesday, the Pacers remain in the thick of the race in the Eastern Conference standings and sit just two games back of the Central-leading Milwaukee Bucks.
Indiana’s recent strong play has given the team’s NBA championship odds a modest boost to +6500, well ahead of the +10000 odds the team sported on opening night. However, the Pacers have lost ground on the odds to win the Central Division, where they now lag well behind the heavily favored Bucks as a +300 wager.
