Gainbridge Fieldhouse hosts a Central Division tilt between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Indiana Pacers on Friday. The Bucks are 31-17 this season, including four wins in their last five games. The Pacers are 24-26 overall but an impressive 16-9 at home in Indianapolis. Tyrese Haliburton (knee) is out for Indiana, with Andrew Nembhard (illness), Aaron Nesmith (wrist), and Myles Turner (ankle) listed as questionable. Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is listed as probable for Milwaukee, with Bobby Portis (knee) ruled out and both MarJon Beauchamp (knee) and AJ Green (ankle) listed as questionable.
Tipoff is at 7 pm ET in Indianapolis. Caesars Sportsbook lists Milwaukee as the 8-point favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 238 in the latest Bucks vs. Pacers odds. Before locking in any Pacers vs. Bucks picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four-plus seasons. The model enters Week 15 of the 2022-23 NBA season on a stunning 47-22 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,200. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Bucks vs. Pacers and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Bucks vs. Pacers:
- Bucks vs. Pacers spread: Bucks -8
- Bucks vs. Pacers over/under: 238 points
- Bucks vs. Pacers money line: Bucks -345, Pacers +270
- MIL: The Bucks are 9-12-3 against the spread in road games
- IND: The Pacers are 16-9 against the spread in home games
- Bucks vs. Pacers picks: See picks here
Featured Game | Indiana Pacers vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Why the Bucks can cover
The Bucks have an advantageous matchup on offense against a Pacers team that is below-average in several defensive categories. Milwaukee is also the stronger team overall, based largely on its elite defense. The Bucks are in the top three of the NBA in defensive efficiency, giving up only 110.1 points per 100 possessions. Milwaukee is excellent against both 3-pointers (35.0%) and 2-pointers (51.6%), leading to the No. 4 marks in the NBA with a 45.5% field goal percentage allowed.
The Bucks are fantastic on the defensive glass, securing nearly 74% of missed shots from opponents, and rank in the top three in free throw prevention (21.0 attempts per game) and assists allowed (23.0 per game). The Bucks also block 5.1 shots per game, a top-eight figure, and Indiana is shooting only 45.6% from the field this season. The Pacers have turnover issues as well, committing 15.4 giveaways per game, and Indiana is scoring only 1.08 points per possession with Haliburton off the floor this season.
Why the Pacers can cover
Indiana has strengths on both sides of the floor this season. The Pacers lead the NBA in fast break points (18.8 per game), and are above-average in offensive rebound rate (29.4%), 3-point accuracy (36.2%), free throw creation (24.0 attempts per game), assists per game (26.5) and free throw accuracy (80.1%). Milwaukee creates only 12.9 turnovers per game on defense, the second-fewest in the NBA, and the Pacers also put pressure on opponents on defense.
Indiana is in the top five of the league with 15.8 turnovers created per game, and average 6.0 blocks per game, No. 2 in the league. Opponents are shooting only 53.4% from 2-point range against Indiana, and Milwaukee’s offense is strongly below the NBA average in offensive rating, field goal percentage, free throw creation and turnover avoidance.
How to make Bucks vs. Pacers picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the point total, with only one player projected to reach or exceed 20 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the model’s picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Bucks vs. Pacers? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Bucks vs. Pacers spread you need to jump on Friday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.