The Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers are two hopeful teams to finally end their own losing streaks and go back to winning ways. More loss will both lower their chances for the playoffs, which they cannot afford. The Pacers lost four of their last five matches, including a loss against the Knicks on their last match. As for the Celtics, they also lost to four of their last five games, losing against the Magic for consecutive games. The Celtics will entertain the Pacers when they meet on December 22, 2022, at 8:30 AM (GMT+8).
The Celtics are still lucky as they are still at the top two spot of the Eastern Conference despite their losing streak. Their record of 22-9 is enough to keep them in the second spot in the standings, all thanks to their strong start this season. Moreover, when it comes to home games, they are also doing well, winning 11 of their 15 home games. As for their opponents, the pacers are in dire need of a win since they are at the 9th of the standings. They currently hold a record of 15-16, and can no longer afford to lose. Furthermore, they are not doing that well on the road as they won six games out of their 15 games.
Boston Celtics
Believe it or not, their current results is the first losing stretch of the Celtics this season. From their first 26 games, they had a record of 21-5, winning 17 games in 19 games. However, since then, they are already in a losing stretch, losing four of their last five matches. After their thrilling win over the Lakers, they were not able to get back on track winning their back-to-back games against the Magic. They had a hard time playing on their second meeting with the Magic since they are without Tatum. Luckily, they can have him back for this meeting, just in time to pick up more wins for his squad. When it comes to offense, this team is currently the first, with 118.2 points per game. Moreover, when it comes to defense, they are at the 12th, giving up 112.2 points per game.
Jayson Tatum leads the Celtics with an average of 30.2 points per game, 8.2 rebounds, in 37 minutes per game. Knowing how huge of a loss he is, the Celtics are just glad to have him back in practice. With that, expect him to play in this match.
Indiana Pacers
Dropping 10 of their last 15 matches, including four from their last five games, the Pacers should now find their ways to get back on track. They are just above the safe zone, which is not a good sight, especially if they continue on losing on their next matches. They lost against the Cavaliers and the Knicks on their last match, so they must win in this game. Their teams was not able to make consistent stops, so they really cannot go well when it comes to defense. Additionally, their offense is starting to decline, which is not optimistic to see. They are now the 12th in offense, with 114.6 points per game, and the 21st in defense, giving up 115.6 points per game.
Tyrese Haliburton is the one leading the Pacers with 19.5 points, 10.7 assists, and 4 rebounds per game. Bennedict Mathurin is also contributing for his squad, with an average of 17.9 points per game. Buddy Hield and Myles Turner are also key pieces for the Pacers.
Prediction:
Boston Celtics
Total Under: 121.5
Odds: 0.89
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