Pacers vs. Cavaliers Prediction
The most stunning outcome of the first batch of NBA Playoff Games was in the way the Indiana Pacers went on the road and dominated Game 1 at the Cleveland Cavaliers. Can the Pacers shock the basketball world again tonight and prove their validity as a team with a shot to win the Eastern Conference?
Game Snapshot
517 Indiana Pacers at 518 Cleveland Cavaliers
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Quicken Loans Arena at 7PM ET
TV: TNT
Public Betting Information
According to oddsmakers at YouWager, the Cavaliers are an 8-point favorite to win on the spread line. The over-under is set at 209 points. As of Wednesday afternoon, 60 percent of public bets have sided with visiting Indiana. Check out our NBA Public Betting Page for up-to-date information.
LeBron finally loses first round game
LeBron James had won an unprecedented 21 straight first round games between Miami and Cleveland before the Cavs were throttled 98-80 at home Sunday afternoon in Game 1 against the Pacers. James had a decent stat line of a triple-double as he tallied 24 points on 7-of-17 shooting to go with 12 assists and 10 rebounds. But no one else in the Cleveland starting five was in double figures for scoring, while JR Smith’s 15 and Larry Nance Jr.’s 10 off the bench were the only other double figure scorers on the roster. If LeBron has any message to his team heading into Game 2, it might be to remind them he can’t do it by himself even if he does appear to be a cyborg most of the time.
Oladipo continues All-Star play in postseason
Victor Oladipo, who came over to Indiana with little national fanfare during the Paul George trade last summer, has been outstanding all season for the Pacers. After starring at Indiana University, it’s clear this state fits him well. He averaged 23.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game during the regular season with a PER of 23.12. Oladipo opened the playoffs with 32 points on 11-of-19 shooting in 37 minutes while adding six rebounds, four assists and four rebounds. It’s not yet clear if the Cavs have a good answer for what Oladipo brings to the table.
NBA Betting Trends
Indiana
The Pacers are 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings in Cleveland. The under is 7-1 in the last eight Indiana games versus an opponent with a winning percentage above .600.
Cleveland
The over is 4-1-1 in the last six meetings in Cleveland. The Cavaliers are 4-1 ATS in their last five Wednesday games.
Prediction:
I’d be surprised if the Pacers win a second straight playoff game in Cleveland, but with that said I feel this spread is a bit too high. It might come down some as game time nears, so you might want to strike as early as you can. This seems like a game that will go down to the wire and the Cavs haven’t exactly shown the ability to blow out good teams very often this season. Cleveland’s 32-50-1 ATS record on the season speaks to that.
NBA DAILY PREDICTION: INDIANA PACERS +8