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Pacers vs Celtics Game 1 Picks, Odds | Eastern Conference Finals

Michael Crosson
Michael Crosson Sports Betting Expert
3 minute read
Pacers vs Celtics Game 1 Picks, Odds | Eastern Conference Finals

The NBA Playoffs continues with one standalone matchup on Tuesday night, as we kick off the conference round of the postseason with Pacers vs. Celtics Game 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The Celtics are huge 10-point favorites on the spread in Tuesday's contest, while the total is set at over/under 222 total points at DraftKings.

Here's everything you need to know about Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Celtics and Pacers -- the latest betting odds, as well as our expert picks and prediction for the NBA Playoffs on Tuesday, May 21.

For more basketball action, check out our NBA odds.

Pacers vs Celtics Odds

IND @ BOS Odds

  • Full Game
  • 1H
  • 1Q
  • 2Q
  • 3Q
  • 4Q
  • Spread
  • Total
  • Moneyline
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
+10 -110 +6 -110 +5.5 -105 +6 -110 +5.5 -110 +5.5 -102 +5.5 -110 +5.5 -110 +10 -112  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
-10 -110 -6 -110 -5.5 -115 -6 -110 -5.5 -120 -5.5 -120 -5.5 -115 -5.5 -120 -10 -108  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
o219 -110 o114 -110 N/A o113.5 -110 o113.5 -120 o114 -114 o113.5 -113 o113.5 -120 o223 -106  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
u219 -110 u114 -110 N/A u113.5 -110 u113.5 -110 u114 -106 u113.5 -115 u113.5 -110 u223 -114  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
+385 N/A +240 +230 +225 +245 +245 N/A +350  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
-500 N/A -300 -285 -325 -320 -335 N/A -450  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
+10 -110 +6.5 -110 N/A N/A N/A N/A +4.5 -109 N/A +10 -112  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
-10 -110 -6.5 -110 N/A N/A N/A N/A -4.5 -120 N/A -10 -108  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
o219 -110 o111 -110 N/A N/A N/A N/A o108.5 -117 N/A o223 -106  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
u219 -110 u111 -110 N/A N/A N/A N/A u108.5 -114 N/A u223 -114  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
+385 N/A N/A N/A N/A +176 +188 N/A +350  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
-500 N/A N/A N/A N/A -225 -245 N/A -450  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
+10 -110 +3.5 -110 +3.5 -105 +3.5 -108 +3.5 -125 +3.5 -106 +3.5 -117 +3.5 -120 +10 -112  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
-10 -110 -3.5 -110 -3.5 -115 -3.5 -112 -3.5 -105 -3.5 -114 -3.5 -109 -3.5 -110 -10 -108  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
o219 -110 o57 -110 N/A o56.5 -118 N/A o56.5 -130 o56.5 -113 o56.5 -125 o223 -106  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
u219 -110 u57 -110 N/A u56.5 -102 N/A u56.5 +102 u56.5 -115 u56.5 -105 u223 -114  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
+385 N/A +200 +185 +170 +194 +200 N/A +350  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
-500 N/A -250 -225 -220 -245 -265 N/A -450  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
+10 -110 +2.5 -115 N/A +2.5 -105 +2.5 -125 +2.5 -108 +2.5 -114 +2.5 -120 +10 -112  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
-10 -110 -2.5 -115 N/A -2.5 -115 -2.5 -105 -2.5 -112 -2.5 -114 -2.5 -105 -10 -108  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
o219 -110 o56.5 -115 N/A o56.5 -115 N/A o57.5 -104 o56.5 -122 o56.5 -120 o223 -106  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
u219 -110 u56.5 -115 N/A u56.5 -105 N/A u57.5 -122 u56.5 -109 u56.5 -110 u223 -114  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
+385 N/A N/A +160 N/A +156 +155 N/A +350  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
-500 N/A N/A -192 N/A -194 -200 N/A -450  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
+10 -110 +3 -115 N/A +2.5 -105 +2.5 -115 +2.5 -108 +3.5 -124 +2.5 -115 +10 -112  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
-10 -110 -3 -115 N/A -2.5 -115 -2.5 -115 -2.5 -112 -3.5 -105 -2.5 -110 -10 -108  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
o219 -110 o54.5 -115 N/A o54.5 -110 N/A o54.5 -106 o54.5 -117 o54.5 -120 o223 -106  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
u219 -110 u54.5 -115 N/A u54.5 -110 N/A u54.5 -120 u54.5 -114 u54.5 -110 u223 -114  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
+385 N/A N/A +160 N/A +156 +170 N/A +350  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
-500 N/A N/A -192 N/A -194 -220 N/A -450  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
+10 -110 +1.5 -115 N/A +1.5 -115 +1.5 -125 +1.5 -110 +1.5 -104 +1.5 -120 +10 -112  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
-10 -110 -1.5 -115 N/A -1.5 -105 -1.5 -105 -1.5 -110 -1.5 -125 -1.5 -105 -10 -108  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
o219 -110 o54 -115 N/A o54.5 -105 N/A o53.5 -120 o53.5 -125 o52.5 -125 o223 -106  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
u219 -110 u54 -115 N/A u54.5 -115 N/A u53.5 -106 u53.5 -106 u52.5 -110 u223 -114  
Final
Indiana Pacers 549 Pacers
+385 N/A N/A +120 +120 +128 +135 N/A +350  
Boston Celtics 550 Celtics
-500 N/A N/A -142 -150 -158 -175 N/A -450  

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Pacers vs Celtics Picks & Prediction

The top two scoring teams in the NBA will meet in this year’s Eastern Conference Finals, with the Pacers ranked 1st at 123.3 points per game and the Celtics ranked 2nd at 120.6. However, the oddsmakers still don’t seem to think Indiana has much of a shot in this series, with the Pacers listed as huge +680 underdogs to knock out Boston (-1200), which implies a 92.3% chance of Boston winning the series. However, I certainly won’t be surprised if Indiana steals a few games – and quite frankly, I expect them to do so, given the volatile nature of this Celtics team.

The Celtics lead the entire NBA in 3-point attempts per game (42.5), and they knock them down at the second-best clip (38.8%), which equates to the best offensive rating (123.2) in the league by a considerable margin and the second-highest scoring average at 120.6 points per game. It’s one big math equation for Boston. The Celtics know that, in any given matchup, they are almost unbeatable if they hoist up more 3-point attempts than their opponent and hit them at their season-average percentage, especially in a seven-game series scenario, and that strategy usually works… “We just gotta’ hit our shots.”

However, on the other side of that same coin, basketball isn’t played on a spreadsheet. The Celtics’ high volume in 3-point attempts also breeds a natural level of variance in their results on a regular basis, regardless of opponent strength or game location, which leads to Boston losing some real head-scratchers, such as home losses to the Heat and Cavaliers in their previous two series; a pair of teams with far less offensive weaponry than Indiana, and they both still managed to capitalize on one of Boston’s off-nights to steal a win apiece.

Now, the Celtics finally face a much stronger foe in a Pacers team that ranks 1st in scoring and 2nd in defensive rating; a team much better suited to steal a game or two from Boston when and if the stars align, despite Indiana not standing much of a chance in the series as a whole due to their defense ranking 27th in points allowed and 24th in defensive rating, in comparison to a Boston squad that ranks top-5 in both of those departments.

The Pacers winning this series would be a stunning turn of events, and I don’t recommend betting on it to happen. However, the Celtics have already dropped home games against far worse teams this postseason, so I don’t see why Indiana can’t take it up another notch in this series and keep things competitive throughout. Both offenses are better than the opposing defense, although Indiana’s offensive edge over Boston’s D is much smaller than the other way around. It should equate to a solid amount of points either way. I’ll take the over.

Pick: Over 222 (-110)

Click this link for picks and predictions for all NBA Playoff matchups!

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Pacers vs Celtics Game Time & TV Channel

Date: Tuesday, May 21
Matchup: Central vs. Atlantic
Venue: TD Garden
Location: Boston, MA
Time-TV: ESPN, 8:00 p.m. ET

Pacers vs Celtics Betting Stats

1) Boston Celtics
(1st Place, Atlantic)

  • Odds to Win Finals: -150
  • Odds to Win Conference: -1200
  • SU: 64-18
  • ATS: 43-38-1
  • O/U: 37-44-1
  • PPG: 120.6
  • OPPG: 109.2

Click this link for the latest betting trends and market movements for Celtics vs. Pacers from VegasInsider Senior Reporter Patrick Everson!

6) Indiana Pacers
(3rd Place, Central)

  • Odds to Win Finals: +2800
  • Odds to Win Conference: +680
  • SU: 47-36
  • ATS: 45-37-1
  • O/U: 42-40
  • PPG: 123.3
  • OPPG: 120.2

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Michael Crosson

Michael Crosson

Michael Crosson began his time at VegasInsider as a freelance NBA writer back in 2019 while he continued to study Psychology and Biology at James Madison University. Following his graduation in 2021, Michael joined the team full-time, and he's been with VI ever since. Michael still writes NBA, NFL, and MLB for VI, as well as gambling industry news. He's also become a crucial part of our editorial production team. More from Michael Crosson
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