Celtics vs Pacers Prediction: Boston Looks To Take Season Series (Dec 29)

• The Celtics are 23-8 and have the best record in the Atlantic Division.
• Indiana is 15-17 and has the third-best record in the Central Division.
• These teams last played on Friday night, with the Celtics claiming a 142-105 victory.

One of the games on tap from Sunday night’s NBA slate features the Boston Celtics squaring off against the Indiana Pacers. Our Celtics vs Pacers prediction foresees the Celtics beating the Pacers for the second time in three nights.

Boston Looks To Shake Off Recent Struggles

The defending champs have dropped two of their last three contests. Fortunately, they recently ended a two-game skid with a 142-105 victory over the Pacers on Friday night. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with a season-high 44 points, five rebounds and three assists. He shot 16-for-24 from the field and 6-for-11 from beyond the arc.

Jayson Tatum finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Payton Pritchard contributed 18 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds off the bench. Boston led 67-45 at halftime and increased its advantage to 38 points in the final frame en route to an easy 27-point victory.

Pacers Will Attempt To End Two-Game Slide

Following a 10-15 start, the Pacers posted a five-game winning streak, enabling them to return to the .500 mark. However, Indiana has dropped its last two games, including the 27-point drubbing at the hands of the Cs on Friday night.

Tyrese Haliburton led a trio of starters that scored in double figures. He finished with 19 points, grabbed four rebounds, and handed out nine assists.

Bennedict Mathurin added 18 points and six rebounds, while Pascal Siakam contributed 14 points and nine rebounds. With Obi Toppin (ankle) and Andrew Nembhard (knee) missing from the rotation, the Pacers struggled from an offensive standpoint. They shot 41.8 percent from the field and 28.2 percent from 3-point range.

Celtics vs Pacers Prediction: Boston Will Win Season Series

Although the Celtics have split their last six games, their dominant performance in the previous game between these two teams proved how dominant this team can be, even with two key players (Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday) sitting out with injuries.

On the other side of the matchup, the Pacers are a mediocre team at best. However, it cannot be overlooked that they have won five of their previous seven contests. Despite Indiana’s recent success, Boston is the superior team at both ends of the floor. With that in mind, look for the Celtics to come out on top again.

Tags:
• Regular Season (NBA)