The Pacers are in Philadelphia on Wednesday for the second time this season to take on the 76ers, whom they are bearing down on in the standings.
It’s been difficult for sixth-place Indiana to make up ground on fifth-place Philadelphia, though it carries a four-game winning streak to the Wells Fargo Center. For their part, the Sixers are winners of the last two and are 15–5 at home on the year. The Pacers, who lost 120-106 on this same court in October, are just 8–10 outside the Hoosier State.
Both teams’ injury reports are rather clean, though Indiana guard Chris Duarte (ankle) is questionable. Tyrese Maxey returned a few games ago for Philadelphia, albeit in a sixth man capacity, after missing more than a month due to a foot fracture.
The Pacers and 76ers are both among the best teams in the NBA against the spread, but Philadelphia, a dominant home team with the league’s second-leading scorer on a heater, is a 7.5-point favorite.
Indiana Pacers vs. Philadelphia 76ers Odds
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Spread: Pacers +7.5 (-110) | 76ers -7.5 (-110)
Moneyline: IND (+230) | PHI (-333)
Total: 231.5 — Over (-118) | Under (-110)
Pacers Betting Profile
Straight-Up Record: 21–17
Against the Spread Record: 23–15
Over/Under Record: 18–19–1
Points Per Game (Rank): 115.6 (9)
Points Allowed Per Game (Rank): 115.8 (21)
76ers Betting Profile
Straight-Up Record: 22–14
Against the Spread Record: 21–14–1
Over/Under Record: 20–16
Points Per Game (Rank): 112.1 (20)
Points Allowed Per Game (Rank): 108.3 (2)
Spread Bet: Pacers +7.5 (-110)
Over the last month, against a rather difficult schedule, Indiana would have only failed to cover this somewhat sizable spread twice—a 116-100 defeat in Portland on Dec. 4 and a 113-93 loss in New Orleans last week. The Pacers have won, or at least kept close, their other 14 games during that stretch despite having a marginal negative point differential for the season.
Led by point guard Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana’s offense c onsistently keeps the team in games against the league’s best teams. Just in the last week, the Pacers tallied 130 points or more in victories over the Cavaliers and Clippers, two top five defenses.
The 76ers, who have a similarly stout unit on that side of the ball, present another tough challenge. And they’ve been a handful on offense lately, too, specifically since James Harden returned to share the floor with Joel Embiid. Harden, playing heavy minutes, has dished even more assists and shot the ball better than he did before his injury while Embiid is walking into 30-plus points seemingly every night.
Embiid is a matchup nightmare for most teams and that should be the case again versus Myles Turner and Jalen Smith—Turner didn’t play in the first meeting, but Embiid scored an efficient 26 points. Philadelphia doesn’t hold much of a size advantage over Indiana beyond its All-NBA big man, though, and the Pacers actually won the rebounding battle in the first meeting.
Rick Carlisle has figured out a lot about his rotation since these teams last met and Indiana certainly has the playmaking and shooting to keep this contest close.
Over/Under Bet: Over 231.5 (-118)
This total is a few points higher than the teams’ combined scoring averages, which adds up to 227.8. But a closer look at the recent scoring trends for the Pacers and 76ers reveals why. The last four Indiana games—three with totals set at or higher than 231.5 points—have hit the over. And five of Philadelphia’s last six games have also hit the over, though none of the totals were set at 230 or higher.
Over the last 15 games, both teams are in the top 10 in offensive rating. The 76ers’ middle-of-the-road scoring average is partially due to its slow pace, which the Pacers counteract with the sixth-fastest pace in basketball. With both teams largely healthy, three-pointers flying, the league’s second-leading scorer and two of its best passers active for this game, the over is a safe bet, even though it’s set in uncharted territory for a Philadelphia game this season.
Prop Bet: Tyrese Haliburton Points Plus Assists Over 27.5 (-125)
This is a very attainable mark for Haliburton based on his points alone. He scored 29 points last week against the Cavaliers and 43 two weeks ago versus the Heat. Though he’s more of a traditional point guard, he’s a very efficient shooter who’s fully capable of taking over a game with his scoring. And then there’s the matter of his league-leading assist average, where double-digit dime games are routine.
An 18-point, 10-assist outing, which would almost be a down game by Haliburton’s high standards, is enough to cash this wager. With a lofty over/under for this contest, bettors can expect plenty out of one of the biggest stars on the court.
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