The Eastern Conference Finals start Tuesday night with the top-seeded Boston Celtics hosting the No. 6 Indiana Pacers. The C’s are here for the third straight year but have been looking for that record-breaking 18th NBA title since 2008. They are double-digit favorites for the opener. Indiana has never won it all, and we don’t see that changing in 2024 as it would need a minor miracle to win this series.

Indiana Pacers vs. Boston Celtics 2024 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 Info

The Celtics took care of business en route to their third straight Eastern Conference Finals ☘️

Get an in-depth look at Boston's path through Cleveland in the latest #ChasingHistory before IND-BOS tips tomorrow at 8pm/et on ESPN!

: https://t.co/FSdGUZILgP pic.twitter.com/v6BoCdOvya

— NBA (@NBA) May 20, 2024

• When: Tuesday, May 21st, 2024, 8:00 PM ET
• Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
• TV: TNT
• Radio: 107.5 FM The Fan (Pacers) // 98.5 The Sports Hub (Celtics)
• Stream: NBA League Pass
• NBA Odds: Pacers (+10) // Celtics (-10)

Why bet on the Indiana Pacers?

The Pacers are on a pretty quick turnaround after pulling off a 130-109 win at the New York Knicks on Sunday. The Pacers ended up shooting 67.1% overall, the highest field goal percentage for a playoff game in NBA history. And that was after they cooled off in the second half.

They shot an incredible 76.3% in the opening 24 minutes (29-of-38) and 66.7% from 3-point range (8-of-12). They made 20 of 25 jumpers. They missed as many shots in the paint as beyond the arc. Pascal Siakam scored 15 of his 20 points in the first half, Tyrese Haliburton put up 16 and Myles Turner tallied 10 of his 17 as the Pacers led by 15 at the break. With six players reaching double digits in scoring overall, Indiana became the first team to have five players with more than 15 points in a Game 7 since 1987.

In that Knicks series, Indiana finished with franchise records for a seven-game series in points scored (807), field goals made (319), 3-pointers made (85), 3-point percentage (.425), assists (210) and fewest turnovers (82).

Fast-paced Indiana now has 61 games this season including playoffs, scoring at least 120 points, three shy of the league record of 64 set by the 1981-82 Nuggets. The Pacers also have 22 games with at least 35 assists, tied for fifth-most ever and most since the 1986-87 Lakers had 29.

The big question is whether Indiana can defend the high-powered Celtics well enough. If the Pacers try single coverage against Boston’s superstar wings of Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics could dominate the free throw battle. No team in the league sent opponents to the line at a higher rate than Indiana this season.

Why bet on the Boston Celtics?

Boston is much better-rested as it finished off Cleveland in five games last Wednesday – catching a major break in not facing Cavs starting center Jarrett Allen at all in the series and All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell in only the first three games. Celtics starting center Kristaps Porzingis, meanwhile, didn’t play in the series as he’s still recovering from a calf injury suffered in Round 1 vs. Miami. He’ll miss at least Tuesday’s game as well, and probably at least 1-2 more.

The Celtics and Pacers ranked first and second in offensive efficiency this season, but they got there in different ways: Boston led the NBA in made 3-pointers, while Indiana led the league in paint points. This is the sixth playoff series since 1998 to feature the top team in made 3s against the top team in paint points, and it’s the first in a conference final or later since the 2000 NBA Finals between Indiana and the Los Angeles Lakers. In the past five such meetings, the team that led the league in paint points won three of them.

Celtics star Jayson Tatum is the current betting favorite to win NBA Finals MVP – Boston is the clear championship favorite now – and the only player averaging at least 23.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and fewer than 3.0 turnovers per game in these playoffs.

Since 1950-51, there have been seven instances where an NBA player recorded at least those averages during a single playoff run with a minimum of five games played, and Tatum has accounted for three of those instances (also in 2022-23 and 2019-20. The only other players to do so are Nikola Jokić (2020-21, 2018-19), Kevin Garnett (2002-03), and Giannis Antetokounmpo (2020-21). Tatum enters having scored at least 25 points in four straight games after one such game in his first six this postseason. He now has the third-most playoff career points (2,479) in NBA history before turning 27 years old.

Pacers vs. Celtics Betting Trends

• Indiana is 4-1 SU in the last 5 games.
• Pacers are 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games against Boston.
• The total went over in 13 of Indiana’s last 18 games.
• Boston is 7-1 SU in the last 8 games.
• Celtics are 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games played on a Tuesday when playing at home.
• The total went over in 4 of Boston’s last 6 games.

Pacers vs. Celtics 2024 NBA Playoffs Game 1 Prediction

Indiana takes the win on Tuesday night to lead the series.

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READ MORE: Celtics vs. Pacers 2024 NBA Playoffs Odds & Game 4 Preview