Motivation is not going to be a concern when the Cleveland Cavaliers (47-33) host the Indiana Pacers (46-34) on Friday night. Cleveland picked up a win over Memphis on Wednesday and is in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers are one game behind third-place New York and one game ahead of fifth-place Orlando. Indiana occupies sixth place, sitting one game ahead of Philadelphia for the final spot that avoids the play-in tournament.
Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Cavaliers are favored by 2.5 points in the latest Cavaliers vs. Pacers odds, while the over/under is 233 points, per SportsLine consensus. Before entering any Pacers vs. Cavaliers picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 25 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 83-58 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,200. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Indiana vs. Cleveland. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for the game:
- Cavaliers vs. Pacers spread: Cavaliers -2.5
- Cavaliers vs. Pacers over/under: 233 points
- Cavaliers vs. Pacers money line: Cavaliers -152, Pacers +128
- Cavaliers vs. Pacers picks: See picks here
Why the Cavaliers can cover
Cleveland snapped a three-game losing streak with a crucial win against Memphis on Wednesday to get within one win of clinching a playoff berth. Star guard Donovan Mitchell had 29 points and eight assists on 9 of 17 shooting, while center Jarrett Allen posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Power forward Evan Mobley added a double-double of his own, finishing with 12 points and 12 boards.
The Cavaliers are one game ahead of Orlando and Indiana, so they cannot afford a loss in this matchup. They have won five of their last six games against Central Division opponents, and they are 5-2 in their last seven games on a Friday. Cleveland has also won eight of the last 11 meetings between these teams.
Why the Pacers can cover
Indiana might not have many wins in recent years against Cleveland, but the Pacers have covered the spread in five of the last seven meetings. They are also 4-1 against the spread in their last five road games against the Cavaliers, and they have a winning record as underdogs this season. The Pacers are aiming for their first playoff appearance since 2020, having won five of their last six games.
They led the league with 122.9 points per game after pouring in 140 points in a blowout win over Toronto on Tuesday. Tyrese Haliburton finished with 30 points, while Obi Toppin added 23 points off the bench as they combined to shoot 20 of 30 from the floor. Cleveland has been shaky of late, covering the spread just three times in its last 12 games. See which team to pick here.
How to make Cavaliers vs. Pacers picks
The model has simulated Pacers vs. Cavaliers 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Under, and it's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Cavaliers vs. Pacers, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Pacers vs. Cavaliers spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 83-58 roll on top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.
