Toronto Tries To Move Up in East
The Toronto Raptors try to rise out of an Eastern Conference play-in tournament spot when they face the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night. Toronto enters tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East standings but sitting in seventh due to tiebreakers, which would put it in the play-in tournament. Indiana has been eliminated from postseason contention and is building for the future. Before you bet online on this contest between Eastern Conference squads, make sure you read our preview of the game.
Let’s check the latest news, stats, injury reports, and NBA odds for Indiana Pacers vs Toronto Raptors. We have plenty of predictions for you to consider.
Pacers on Rough Road
Not only have the Indiana Pacers already sunk out of playoff contention for the 2022 postseason, but they come into this contest as one of three teams that have yet to reach double-digit wins on the road. Indiana is 9-28 outside of the Hoosier State, with the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets each sitting at eight road victories.
It’s been a season of change for Indiana, with coach Rick Carlisle’s squad seemingly making a personnel move almost every week. The one constant has been guard Malcolm Brogdon, who leads the team with 19.1 points per game, though he’s only played in 36 contests. He’s sat out the last three games to rest, but he is expected to play against the Raptors on Saturday.
Guard Buddy Hield came to the Pacers from the Kings at the trade deadline, and he’s been a solid scorer in his 18 games with Indiana, averaging 18.7 points per game. Hield can catch fire in a hurry, and his 8.2 3-point attempts per game are easily the most on the team.
Another piece to the Sacramento deal was guard Tyrese Haliburton, who has nearly averaged a double-double with Indiana with 16.7 points and 9.4 assists per contest. Haliburton is also an impact player on the defensive end, averaging 1.9 steals per game.
Raptors Trying To Move into Better Position
The Toronto Raptors are coming off a huge win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night in the race for one of the top six spots in the Eastern Conference. Forward Pascal Siakam matched his season high with 35 points, and he’ll be a key to Toronto’s chances of avoiding the play-in tournament.
“It was a good game; it was a big game,” Siakam said after Thursday’s win. “I think every game is a big game.”
With nine games left on the regular-season schedule, every game is a big game for Toronto’s chances. That means it needs Siakam (22.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists) to be at his best the rest of the way.
Guard Fred VanVleet is also a key, though he had just 10 points in the win over Cleveland. VanVleet leads the team with 6.8 assists per game while contributing 20.8 points and running the Toronto offense.
The Raptors got a big boost from the return of forward OG Anunoby on Thursday. Anunoby had not played in over a month due to a fractured right ring finger but came back with 14 points. He’ll be a boost to the team’s defense, as he’s coach Nick Nurse’s best perimeter defender.
Indiana Pacers at Toronto Raptors Head-to-Head
The Toronto Raptors won the first two meetings between these clubs this season, but the Indiana Pacers got the win in the latest matchup. That last game was in November, however, long before Indiana made major changes to its roster.
The Pacers took the season series in 2020-21, winning two of three games, including the only matchup as the road team, though the Raptors were playing home contests in Tampa, Fla., last season. The NBA lines favoring the Raptors by double-digits in this one make perfect sense considering Indiana’s struggles on the road this season.
Indiana Pacers at Toronto Raptors Game Information
- Game: Indiana Pacers (25-49) at Toronto Raptors (41-32)
- Location: Scotiabank Arena
- Day/Time: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Live Stream: NBA League Pass
Indiana Pacers at Toronto Raptors Betting Lines
Indiana Pacers at Toronto Raptors Prediction
The Indiana Pacers are just trying to get some chemistry for the future, with no playoff hopes and little of anything to play for at this point in the season. Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors are getting healthy and are fighting for their positioning in the Eastern Conference. Toronto should make quick work of the Pacers in this one, though Indiana should be able to cover the large point spread.
When doing your NBA betting, take Indiana and the points on the road.
Pick: Indiana Pacers +11 (-110)
