Celtics vs. Pacers prediction, odds, line, start time: 2023 NBA picks, Feb. 23 best bets from proven model

Gainbridge Fieldhouse hosts an Eastern Conference tilt on Thursday evening. After an extended hiatus around NBA All-Star weekend, the Indiana Pacers host the Boston Celtics. Indiana is 18-14 at home and 26-34 overall this season. Boston is 18-10 on the road and 42-17 overall, including five wins in the last six games.

Caesars Sportsbook lists Boston as an 8-point favorite, and tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 232.5 in the latest Celtics vs. Pacers odds. Before making any Pacers vs. Celtics picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer 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 four-plus seasons. The model exits the NBA All-Star break on a stunning 55-30 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,100. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Celtics vs. Pacers and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Pacers vs. Celtics:

• Celtics vs. Pacers spread: Celtics -8
• Celtics vs. Pacers over/under: 232.5 points
• Celtics vs. Pacers money line: Celtics -355, Pacers +278
• BOS: The Celtics are 15-13 against the spread in road games
• IND: The Pacers are 19-13 against the spread in home games
• Celtics vs. Pacers picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why the Celtics can cover

Boston has a dynamic wing duo in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, keying the squad on both ends of the floor. Tatum is averaging 30.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, and Brown generates 26.5 points and 7.0 rebounds. Both are high-end contributors on the defensive end, and Boston has the best net rating (+6.2) in the league. The Celtics are in the top three of the NBA in offensive rating, scoring nearly 1.17 points per possession, and Boston is in the top six in 3-pointers per game, 3-point accuracy, free throw accuracy, and turnovers per game.

On the defensive end, the Celtics are No. 4 in the league in efficiency, giving up fewer than 1.11 points per possession, and Boston leads the league in defensive rebounding and free throw prevention. The Celtics round out a complete arsenal with top-five marks in assists allowed and points allowed in the paint.

Why the Pacers can cover

Indiana’s offense is keyed by Tyrese Haliburton. The All-Star guard is averaging 19.9 points and 10.1 assists per game this season, and Haliburton is a threat from 3-point range in shooting 39.9% from beyond the arc. He engineers a team that leads the NBA with 18.8 fast break points per game, and Indiana is in the top eight of the league with 26.4 assists per game. Indiana is in the top 10 in free throw accuracy at 79.6%, with the Pacers securing nearly 29% of available offensive rebounds. 

Boston is in the bottom five of the NBA in turnover creation (12.6 per game) and steals (6.3 per game), allowing Indiana to potentially operate freely on the offensive end. On defense, the Pacers rely on havoc creation, ranking in the top five of the league in turnovers created (15.7 per game) and blocked shots (5.8 per game), and that can level the playing field against a superior opponent.

How to make Pacers vs. Celtics picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 238 points. The model also says one side has all of the value. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Celtics vs. Pacers? And which side has all of the value? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.