Boston has waited for this series since last Wednesday when they ousted the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games. The Indiana Pacers required more time to vanquish the New York Knicks, but eventually got the job done courtesy of a brilliant shooting performance in Game 7 in New York on Sunday.

For Game 1 of the East Finals, the NBA playoff odds heavily favour the host Celtics, pegging them at -9.5.

Pacers vs. Celtics NBA Betting Odds

By virtue of having contested in the semifinal of the In-Season Tournament, Indiana and Boston have already gone into battle five times. The Celtics took three of those matches. That said, the Pacers eliminated the Celtics in the maiden tournament.

In what seems like a repeat of the first two rounds of the postseason, the odds don’t give Indiana much of a chance to conquer Boston. The latter are -909 to win the series, with a sweep coming in at +270, a gentleman’s sweep at +179, a 4-2 series win at +400, and 4-3 win at +600.

Suffice it to say, the figures are far wider for the Pacers. For the series as a whole, Indiana is +600. Even the likeliest outcome, a 4-2 Pacers victory, is priced at +1400, with a seven-game series at +2000. Fives games and a sweep in their favour are for those who like to live dangerously priced at +3500 and +8000, respectively.

Both sides are relatively healthy even though they’re missing some key figures. In the Pacers camp, Bennedict Mathurin’s season ended before the playoffs even began.  On the Celtics’ side, Kristaps Porzingis has started to take shots at practice but is considered out for at least the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals. Big man Xavier Tillman is day-to-day (personal reasons).

Indiana Pacers

A lot has been made of Boston’s comparatively easy road to the semifinals. People aren’t wrong, but Indiana, even as an underdog, has had providence give them some margins for error. After ousting a Bucks side lacking Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, they took care of a Knicks squad in the sophomore round that had, well, nobody at times.

To Indiana’s credit, they’ve taken advantage of all the opportunities and have largely resembled the club they were in the regular season, leading the NBA playoffs as the highest-scoring team (114.2 points per game) courtesy of the best shooting percentage (50.7 per cent). Helping that figure was a stunning 67 per cent efficiency in New York in Game 7 on Sunday afternoon.

Tyrese Haliburton is one of the best facilitators this postseason (8.1 assists per match) to go along with 18.8 points. Pascal Siakam is living it up as the guy with championship experience (21.1 points, 7.5 rebounds) and Myles Turner is wreaking havoc (17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds). In fact, seven players are averaging at least 10 points per contest in 13 playoff games. The threat can truly come from anywhere with this team.

Boston Celtics

After writing about how the Pacers vanquished hobbled Bucks and Knicks teams, it’s only fair to remind readers that the Celtics dispatched a skeleton Miami Heat crew before ousting a Cleveland Cavaliers side that lost more and more players as that second-round series went along.

There is also a feeling of “here we go again” with this crew. Not so much Porzingis (injured) and Jrue Holiday (first year in Boston), but more so Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, and Derrick White. The players who have partaken in many if not all of the Eastern Conference Finals appearances of the past seven seasons, most of which, save one, ended in defeat. Elimination at this stage (and, frankly, defeat in the NBA Finals) would live a bitter taste of “all for naught”. The Pacers will not make life easy, but it’s time for Boston to make good on all that potential.

NBA Prediction: Who Will Win Pacers vs. Celtics?

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Pacers Team Leaders

IND

Points	Pascal Siakam 21.27
Assists	Tyrese Haliburton 10.9
Rebounds	Pascal Siakam 7.78
FG%	Isaiah Jackson 66.5
Steals	Tyrese Haliburton 1.2
Blocks	Myles Turner 1.87

BOS

Points	Jayson Tatum 26.85
Assists	Derrick White 5.16
Rebounds	Jayson Tatum 8.12
FG%	Luke Kornet 70
Steals	Jaylen Brown 1.19
Blocks	Kristaps Porzingis 1.95

IND

Points	Pascal Siakam 21.59
Assists	Tyrese Haliburton 8.2
Rebounds	Pascal Siakam 7.53
FG%	Andrew Nembhard 56
Steals	Tyrese Haliburton 1.27
Blocks	Myles Turner 1.47

BOS

Points	Jayson Tatum 25
Assists	Jayson Tatum 6.26
Rebounds	Jayson Tatum 9.68
FG%	Neemias Queta 66.7
Steals	Jaylen Brown 1.21
Blocks	Kristaps Porzingis 1.57

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Celtics Team Leaders

IND

Points	Pascal Siakam 21.27
Assists	Tyrese Haliburton 10.9
Rebounds	Pascal Siakam 7.78
FG%	Isaiah Jackson 66.5
Steals	Tyrese Haliburton 1.2
Blocks	Myles Turner 1.87

BOS

Points	Jayson Tatum 26.85
Assists	Derrick White 5.16
Rebounds	Jayson Tatum 8.12
FG%	Luke Kornet 70
Steals	Jaylen Brown 1.19
Blocks	Kristaps Porzingis 1.95

IND

Points	Pascal Siakam 21.59
Assists	Tyrese Haliburton 8.2
Rebounds	Pascal Siakam 7.53
FG%	Andrew Nembhard 56
Steals	Tyrese Haliburton 1.27
Blocks	Myles Turner 1.47

BOS

Points	Jayson Tatum 25
Assists	Jayson Tatum 6.26
Rebounds	Jayson Tatum 9.68
FG%	Neemias Queta 66.7
Steals	Jaylen Brown 1.21
Blocks	Kristaps Porzingis 1.57

Injuries

Indiana

Jalen Smith (PF)

Out Mon Illness - 27 / 05 / 24

Aaron Nesmith (SG)

Prob Sun Shoulder - 11 / 05 / 24

Jalen Smith (PF)

Prob Sun Ankle - 13 / 04 / 24

Obi Toppin (PF)

Prob Sun Ankle - 12 / 04 / 24

Isaiah Jackson (PF)

Prob Sun Hamstring - 11 / 04 / 24

Jalen Smith (PF)

Prob Sun Ankle - 05 / 04 / 24

Myles Turner (C)

Prob Fri Finger - 01 / 04 / 24

T.J. McConnell (PG)

Ques Wed Ankle - 26 / 03 / 24

Aaron Nesmith (SG)

Ques Wed Knee - 25 / 03 / 24

James Johnson (PF)

Ques Mon Personal - 22 / 03 / 24

Boston

Kristaps Porzingis (PF)

Prob Mon Leg - 11 / 06 / 24

Luke Kornet (C)

Ques Thurs Wrist - 30 / 05 / 24

Jrue Holiday (PG)

Prob Mon Illness - 26 / 05 / 24

Jrue Holiday (PG)

Prob Sun Illness - 25 / 05 / 24

Luke Kornet (C)

Prob Mon Wrist - 24 / 05 / 24

Xavier Tillman (PF)

Ques Sat Personal - 20 / 05 / 24

Luke Kornet (C)

Prob Mon Calf - 12 / 05 / 24

Kristaps Porzingis (PF)

Prob Thur Calf - 29 / 04 / 24

Luke Kornet (C)

Prob Sat Calf - 20 / 04 / 24

Al Horford (C)

Prob Sun Toe - 12 / 04 / 24

Injuries

Indiana

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Jalen Smith (PF)	Out Mon	Illness - 27 / 05 / 24	1-0	1-0	+ -
Smith is ailing from illness, and he is unlikely to be on court against the Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Aaron Nesmith (SG)	Prob Sun	Shoulder - 11 / 05 / 24	5-3	5-3	+ -
Nesmith is managing a right shoulder soreness, but he is expected to play against the Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Jalen Smith (PF)	Prob Sun	Ankle - 13 / 04 / 24	10-8	13-5	+ -
Smith is tending to a left ankle sprain, but it is projected that he will suit up Sunday versus the Hawks.
Obi Toppin (PF)	Prob Sun	Ankle - 12 / 04 / 24	11-8	14-5	+ -
Toppin exited the previous game with a left ankle sprain, but it is not expected to affect his status for Sunday's battle versus the Hawks.
Isaiah Jackson (PF)	Prob Sun	Hamstring - 11 / 04 / 24	11-8	14-5	+ -
Jackson was absent from the last match with a left hamstring strain, but it is expected that he will line up against the Hawks on Sunday.
Jalen Smith (PF)	Prob Sun	Ankle - 05 / 04 / 24	12-10	16-6	+ -
Smith exited the last contest with a left ankle sprain, but it is likely that he will suit up Sunday against the Heat.
Myles Turner (C)	Prob Fri	Finger - 01 / 04 / 24	14-10	17-7	+ -
Turner was held out of the last game with a right finger sprain, but it is forecasted that he will battle the Thunder on Friday.
T.J. McConnell (PG)	Ques Wed	Ankle - 26 / 03 / 24	15-12	19-8	+ -
McConnell is nursing left ankle soreness, and it remains to be seen if he will suit up for Wednesday's battle with the Bulls.
Aaron Nesmith (SG)	Ques Wed	Knee - 25 / 03 / 24	16-12	19-9	+ -
Nesmith missed the last game tending to a bruised right knee, and it is uncertain if he will face the Bulls on Wednesday.
James Johnson (PF)	Ques Mon	Personal - 22 / 03 / 24	17-12	19-10	+ -
Johnson has been absent the previous two contests due to a personal matter, and it is unknown if he will take the court Monday against the Clippers.

Boston

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Kristaps Porzingis (PF)	Prob Mon	Leg - 11 / 06 / 24	1-1	0-3	+ -
Porzingis is nursing a lower leg injury, but he is expected to be on court against the Mavericks on Monday in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
Luke Kornet (C)	Ques Thurs	Wrist - 30 / 05 / 24	2-2	0-5	+ -
Kornet is dealing with a left wrist sprain injury, and it is undetermined if he will be active in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Mavericks on Thursday.
Jrue Holiday (PG)	Prob Mon	Illness - 26 / 05 / 24	3-3	2-5	+ -
Holiday is ailing from illness, but he is projected to be on court against the Pacers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Jrue Holiday (PG)	Prob Sun	Illness - 25 / 05 / 24	3-3	2-5	+ -
Holiday is dealing with a non-COVID illness, but he is likely to be on court against the Pacers on Sunday.
Luke Kornet (C)	Prob Mon	Wrist - 24 / 05 / 24	3-3	2-5	+ -
Kornet is dealing with a left wrist sprain injury, but he is expected to play against the Pacers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Xavier Tillman (PF)	Ques Sat	Personal - 20 / 05 / 24	3-5	4-5	+ -
Tillman has missed the last two game because of the personal reasons, and it is unclear if he will play Saturday against the Pacers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Luke Kornet (C)	Prob Mon	Calf - 12 / 05 / 24	4-7	5-7	+ -
Kornet has a right calf injury, but he is expected to feature in the lineup against the Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Kristaps Porzingis (PF)	Prob Thur	Calf - 29 / 04 / 24	8-7	7-9	+ -
Porzingis is dealing with a right calf strain, and he is expected to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Mavericks on Thursday.
Luke Kornet (C)	Prob Sat	Calf - 20 / 04 / 24	9-8	9-10	+ -
Kornet has been out of commission with a right calf strain, but he is expected to return to the court for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first round versus the Heat.
Al Horford (C)	Prob Sun	Toe - 12 / 04 / 24	10-9	11-10	+ -
Horford has a left big toe sprain, but he is expected to line up for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round.