Indiana Pacers vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction, Preview and Odds - 04/02/2023

by Rod Pearson

Saturday, Apr 01, 2023
Game Time: 8:00 pm ET, Sunday, April 2, 2023
Venue:  Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Where to Watch:  BSOH


Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks

DraftKings:  Point Spread:  Pacers +11.5, Cavaliers -11.5; Over/Under:  229.5 points
Bet365:  Point Spread:  Pacers +11.5, Cavaliers -11.5; Over/Under:  229.5 points
BetMGM:  Point Spread:  Pacers +11.5, Cavaliers -11.5; Over/Under:  229.5 points

Season Record

Indiana Pacers:  34-44 (4th place, Central Division)
Cleveland Cavaliers:  48-30 (2nd place, Central Division)

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Recent Form
Indiana Pacers:  3-7 last 10
Cleveland Cavaliers:  6-4 last 10


Indiana Pacers vs Cleveland Cavaliers Preview and Analysis


The Pacers are coming into this game with a 34-44 record overall and they are 14-25 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off of a win against the Oklahoma City Thunder in their last game. T. J. McConnell led the team in points in that game with 21 while Andrew Nembhard was next on the team with 18 points. T. J. McConnell led the team in assists in that game with 8 while Jalen Smith led the team in rebounds with 15. They were 45.9% from the field, 29.3% from 3-point range, and 67.9% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 116 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 119 PPG against them. The Pacers have an ATS record of 40-37-1 this season and their O/U record is 39-38-1.



The Cavaliers are coming into this game with a 48-30 record overall and they are 30-9 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game on a 2 game losing streak with losses coming against the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks in their last game. Donovan Mitchell led the team in points in that game with 42 while Darius Garland was next on the team with 20 points. Darius Garland led the team in assists in that game with 9 while Lamar Stevens and Evan Mobley each led the team in rebounds with 7. They were 51.2% from the field, 45.9% from 3-point range, and 84.6% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 112.3 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 107 PPG against them. The Cavaliers have an ATS record of 41-34-3 this season and their O/U record is 39-39.


Pacers vs Cavaliers Prediction

The current betting odds have the Cavaliers listed as an 11.5 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Cavaliers have been really good this season with their 48-30 record overall making them one of the best teams in the East this year. They have been a really good home team too with their 30-9 home record but they have lost 2 games in a row now. They haven't looked good in their last few games but they will be looking to bounce back here at home after 2 losses in a row now. They will also be trying to get hot going into the playoffs so they can make a deep run in this Eastern Conference which has a lot of quality teams in it. The Pacers haven't been that good with their 34-44 record overall but things really went downhill for them after losing their best player to an injury. They have also been terrible in their road games with a 14-25 road record and they finally did get a win in their last game, but have still been so bad in their games lately as they are really banged up. The Cavaliers haven't been playing well lately but they still have a much better team and will use this game to get back on track with a big win against a banged up and struggling Pacers team. The best way to place a bet here is on the Cavaliers to cover the spread in this game. 

Pacers Cavaliers Prediction:  Our NBA Pick for Sunday, April 2, 2023 (8:00 pm ET start time) is Cavaliers 126 Pacers 106.
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NBA Betting Trends


Indiana Pacers: 17-23 ATS vs. division opponents. 13-7 UNDER revenging a loss vs opponent of 10 points or more. 9-5 UNDER after 5 straight games - allowing a shooting pct. of 47% or higher.
Cleveland Cavaliers: 24-13 ATS as a home favorite. 7-1 ATS after a loss by 10 points or more. 20-11 UNDER off a upset loss as a favorite.

Key Injuries


Indiana Pacers:  C. Duarte (SG) Ques Sun - Ankle. M. Turner (C) Ques Sun - Ankle. T. Haliburton (PG) Ques Sun - Ankle. K. Brown (SG) out for season - Shin.
Cleveland Cavaliers:  I. Okoro (SF) Ques Sun - Knee. J. Allen (C) Ques Sun - Groin.


Notable Quotes


“Great basketball game. T.J. was great in the fourth quarter. His attitude is one of the big reasons we were able to win. Oklahoma City is playing all their guys and going for this, and to stand up to them and play the way we did, our guys stayed the course.” - Rick Carlisle after his team’s win against the Thunder in their game on Friday.


“This loss hurts. We need to feel it and be ready to use it when the time comes. Obviously, we control our destiny and we’ll probably see these guys in two weeks. There is a lot of film to go through. But if we let this affect us, we have no chance in the playoffs.” - Donovan Mitchell after their loss against the Knicks in their game on Friday.


Starting Lineups


Indiana Pacers
PG T.J. McConnell
SG Andrew Nembhard 
SF Buddy Hield
PF Aaron Nesmith
C Jalen Smith

Cleveland Cavaliers
PG Darius Garland
SG Donovan Mitchell 
SF Isaac Okoro
PF Evan Mobley
C Jarrett Allen

Statistical Leaders


Indiana Pacers
PPG: T. Haliburton (20.7)
APG: T. Haliburton (10.4)
Reb/G: M. Turner (7.5)

Cleveland Cavaliers
PPG: D. Mitchell (27.9)
APG: D. Garland (7.8)
Reb/G: J. Allen (9.9)

Coaches:
Indiana Pacers: Rick Carlisle (2nd season)
Cleveland Cavaliers: J.B. Bickerstaff (5th season)



Rod Pearson

About the Author:

Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life.  He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years.  In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective.  Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.

All photographic images used for editorial content have been licensed from the Associated Press.

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