We’re down to the final four in the NBA playoffs, and the Eastern Conference finals tip off Tuesday, May 21, (8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN2) with the Indiana Pacers visiting the Boston Celtics in Game 1.
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Pacers vs. Celtics Game 1 odds: Boston a 10-point home favorite
Not only does top-seeded Boston have the home-court advantage, but it owns a significant rest advantage as well with a six-day break since wrapping up a 4-1 semifinal series win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Sixth-seeded Indiana, meanwhile, needed a full seven games to rally past the New York Knicks, with the 130-109 Game 7 clincher coming Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.
The Celtics are 8-2 so far in the playoffs and own the league’s top postseason net rating at plus-12.8.
Forward Jayson Tatum (24.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists per game) and guards Jaylen Brown (23.1 points, 6.6 rebounds) and Derrick White (18.2 points) pack a powerful offensive punch for Boston.
The Celtics, though, look like they will start a second straight series without center Kristaps Porzingis (20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds in regular season), who has been sidelined since the first round with a calf injury.
Indiana is 8-5 in the playoffs after opening with a 4-2 series triumph over the Milwaukee Bucks, but has benefitted significantly in facing a pair of injury-ravaged opponents.
Regardless, the Pacers own the league’s top offensive rating (121.7) and fifth-best net rating (plus-3.6) in the postseason.
Indiana’s top seven rotation players boast double-digit scoring averages, led by forward Pascal Siakam (21.1), guard Tyrese Haliburton (18.8) and center Myles Turner (17.5).
Boston, though, won three of the five regular season meetings with the Pacers and as of late Monday was a top online sportsbook-consensus 10-point (-475 moneyline) favorite in Game 1.
Indiana was catching +365 odds as moneyline underdog while the game total was hovering around 222 points.
Pacers vs. Celtics series odds: Boston strong favorite to reach 23rd NBA Finals
Boston, which is playing in the Eastern Conference finals for the sixth time in the last eight seasons, is seeking its 23rd NBA Finals appearance (17 championships) and second in the last three seasons.
The Pacers, on the other hand, are in the East Finals for the first time in a decade and are seeking only their second NBA Finals berth (1999-00) in 48 seasons in the league.
That recent postseason disparity is one of the reasons why the Celtics are massive series favorites: a leading sportsbook-consensus -975 (+620 Indiana) as of Monday.
At DraftKings Sportsbook, the series spread was Boston -2.5 games (-155).
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