Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers will have their eyes set on squaring up the series after blowing past the Pacers in a dominant 126-104 road win in Game 3 on Friday. Donovan Mitchell led the team with 43 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Max Strus added 20 points with seven rebounds and seven assists, Jarrett Allen scored 19 points with 12 rebounds and two blocks, while Evan Mobley chipped in with 18 points, 13 rebounds, and four assists.
As a team, the Cavaliers shot 42 percent from the field and 14 of 47 from the 3-point line as they took control of the contest with a 34-13 second quarter domination. This allowed them to cruise in the second half and rest Darius Garland early after just 25 minutes of action.
Indiana Pacers Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers now find themselves in a real battle after getting trampled by the Cavaliers at home in Game 3. Bennedict Mathurin led the team with 23 points on six of 11 shooting, Pascal Siakam added 18 points while Myles Turner chipped in with 15 points.
As a team, the Pacers shot just 43 percent from the field and nine of 30 from the 3-point line as they struggled to match the Cavaliers early on. They just couldn’t recover after scoring just 13 points in the second quarter to trail by 21 points going into halftime. Tyrese Haliburton was the star in Game 2, but he went missing in this contest as he scored just four points on two of eight shooting in 30 minutes of action.
Why the Indiana Pacers will win
- The Pacers have won each of their last 10 Sunday games.
- The Cavaliers have lost each of their last two games as favorites against Central Division opponents following a win.
- The Pacers have covered the spread in each of their last 10 home games following a home loss.
- The Cavaliers have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last eight playoff games against Central Division opponents following a win.
Why the Cleveland Cavaliers will win
- The Cavaliers have won 14 of their last 16 road games against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The Pacers have lost four of their last five home games against Cavaliers teams that held a winning record.
- The road team has covered the spread in each of the last seven games between the Cavaliers and Pacers.
- The Pacers have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last eight home games against Cavaliers teams that held a winning record.
Indiana Pacers Player Facts
- Tyrese Haliburton ranks 1st amongst qualified players for assist:turnover ratio (5.6) this season.
- Myles Turner ranks 1st in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for Blocks Per Game (2.0) this season.
Cleveland Cavaliers Player Facts
- Jarrett Allen ranks 1st amongst qualified players for FG% (70.6%) this season.
- De’Andre Hunter is one of only five players to have scored 35+ points off the bench in a game this season.
Pacers vs Cavaliers Prediction
The Cavaliers were able to finally take a stand in the series with a crucial win in Game 3, and they made it look easy as Mitchell was finally able to get plenty of support from the rest of his team. Garland showed plenty of rust in his return to the lineup, but was hardly needed in Game 3, but there is still room for improvement for the Cavaliers, while the Pacers might have peaked in Game 2. I think the Pacers get off to a better start and put up a stiffer challenge, but with the line so short, I think the Cavaliers square things up with a win and cover on the road.