The Indiana Pacers’ quest for the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference continues on Thursday in a great matchup against the Washington Wizards.
Washington is coming off a win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, and while it’s been arguably the worst team in the NBA all season, it has played better as of late, picking up six wins since March 1.
Meanwhile, the Pacers lost to the Los Angeles Lakers on a buzzer-beating tip-in by LeBron James – a heartbreaking way to see their five-game winning streak come to an end.
With both of these teams playing the second night of a back-to-back, how should we bet on it?
Here’s a look at the odds, players to watch in the prop market and my prediction for Thursday’s Eastern Conference battle.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Spread
Moneyline
Total
Coming off a 18-assist game against the Lakers on Wednesday, Haliburton is a terrific bet to keep his wild assist streak going.
The All-Star guard has at least 10 assists in 12 straight games, and he’s picked up 11 or more dimes in four games in a row. This is an ideal matchup for Haliburton, as the Wizards have one of the worst defensive ratings in the NBA and are 26th in opponent assists per game.
Bettors are going to want to wait and see for the injury reports in this game, but it’s worth noting that the Wizards sat several veterans on the front end of a back-to-back yesterday, so it’s possible they’ll suit up in this matchup.
Washington hasn’t been good this season, but it’s played better in its last 10 games, ranking 25th in the NBA in net rating.
On top of that, the Wizards are 15-17 against the spread as home underdogs, a respectable number for a team that is pushing 60 losses on the season. The Pacers on the other hand, are awful against the spread in this spot.
As a road favorite, Indiana is just 5-13 against the spread, and it is 2-9-1 against the spread on the second night of a back-to-back – the second-worst mark in the NBA.
Despite winning five in a row before losing to Los Angeles yesterday, the Pacers are also just 14th in net rating in their last 10 games. I’ll take the points with Washington tonight.
Pick: Wizards +12 (-112 at DraftKings)
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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Find Peter Dewey’s NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.
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