Spurs vs Pacers NBA Prediction, Pick and Preview 03/02/23

Odds

2022-2023 season stats

Preview

The San Antonio Spurs will take on the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, March 2, at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. The game is set to tip off at 8:30 p.m. EST. The Spurs are looking to snap a five-game losing streak at home, while the Pacers are aiming to win their third game in a row. Both teams have had a disappointing season so far, with the Pacers sitting at 12th in the Eastern Conference and the Spurs sitting at 14th in the Western Conference. Let's take a look at each team's preview, including their recent form, key players, and injury updates. 

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers are 18-17 against conference opponents, and they have been led by Jalen Smith, who averages 1.7 offensive rebounds per game. They have struggled in their last 10 games, winning only 2 and losing 8, with an average of 111.4 points per game. On the other hand, the Celtics have gone 25-12 against Eastern Conference opponents and have averaged 117.9 points per game, outscoring their opponents by 6.2 points per game. In their last 10 games, the Celtics have won 7 and lost 3, with an average of 119.0 points per game.

Buddy Hield has been the top performer for the Pacers, averaging 3.8 made 3-pointers per game and scoring 17.5 points while shooting 42.6% from beyond the arc. Tyrese Haliburton has also been a key player for the Pacers, averaging 19.9 points, 10 assists, and 1.8 steals over the past 10 games. Meanwhile, Marcus Smart has been a consistent contributor for the Celtics, averaging 11.1 points and 7.1 assists. Jayson Tatum has been the Celtics' top scorer, averaging 27.5 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 45.1% over the past 10 games.

The Indiana Pacers have struggled in their last 10 games, winning only 2 and losing 8. During this stretch, they have averaged 111.4 points, which is slightly below their season average of 112.9 points per game. Their rebounding and assist numbers have been fairly consistent with their season averages, as they are averaging 38.6 rebounds and 26.0 assists per game.

However, the Pacers' defense has been a major issue in their last 10 games. They have allowed an average of 118.7 points per game to their opponents, which is significantly higher than their season average of 114.3 points per game. This suggests that the Pacers have been struggling on the defensive end and are allowing their opponents to score at will.

In addition to their defensive struggles, the Pacers have also been struggling with turnovers. They are averaging 14.4 turnovers per game during this stretch, which is higher than their season average of 13.4 turnovers per game. Turnovers have been a major issue for the Pacers this season, as they rank 27th in the league in turnover differential, with an average of -2.4 turnovers per game.

Despite their recent struggles, the Pacers have a talented roster and have shown that they are capable of competing with the best teams in the league. 

INJURIES: Haliburton is questionable for this game.

San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs have had a tough season so far, with a record of 15-47, which puts them in 14th place in the Western Conference. The Spurs have been struggling in recent games, losing their last ten games and winning only five games in their last 36.

Despite their struggles, Keldon Johnson has been a bright spot for the Spurs, averaging 20.8 points per game over the last ten games. He has been the Spurs' most consistent scorer and will need to continue his strong play if the Spurs hope to win this game.

On the defensive end, the Spurs have allowed 114.6 points per game, which ranks 23rd in the league. They have also struggled with turnovers, committing an average of 14.9 turnovers per game, which ranks 25th in the league.

The San Antonio Spurs are currently in a slump, having lost 9 of their last 10 games. During this stretch, they have struggled to score consistently, averaging just 111.4 points per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. They have also struggled to stop their opponents from scoring, allowing an average of 126.5 points per game. The Spurs have also been outrebounded by their opponents, grabbing an average of 43.3 rebounds per game compared to their opponents' 48.6 rebounds per game.

Injuries have certainly played a role in the Spurs' struggles, with key players like Devin Vassell and Tre Jones out of the lineup. However, the team's lack of depth and overall talent has also been a contributing factor. The Spurs have relied heavily on their young players, such as Keldon Johnson and Lonnie Walker IV, to carry the load, but they have not been able to consistently produce at a high level.

BETTING TRENDS

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games.

Indiana are 5-15 SU in their last 20 games.

Indiana are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games against San Antonio.

Indiana are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games against San Antonio.

Indiana are 2-11 SU in their last 13 games on the road.

Indiana are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games when playing on the road against San Antonio.

San Antonio are 2-14 ATS in their last 16 games.

The total has gone UNDER in 8 of San Antonio's last 12 games.

San Antonio are 1-16 SU in their last 17 games.

The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Antonio's last 8 games against Indiana.

San Antonio are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games at home.

Prediction

The Indiana Pacers come into this game as the favorites, with a -4.5 point spread. The Pacers have been the better team this season, with a stronger record and more consistent performances. In addition, the Spurs have struggled mightily at home, losing five games in a row.

While the Pacers have been on a bit of a rollercoaster ride lately, they come into this game with a 4-6 record in their last ten games. However, they have won their last two games and will be looking to continue that momentum against the struggling Spurs.

Indiana's success this season has been largely due to their strong defense, led by Myles Turner, who is one of the top shot-blockers in the league. The Pacers give up an average of 117.3 points per game, which ranks them 23rd in the league. Their defense will be tested against the Spurs, who have struggled offensively all season, ranking 25th in the league in scoring at just 112.8 points per game.

Offensively, the Pacers are led by Turner and Haliburtin, who is averaging 17.6 points and 6.2 assists per game. While their offense can be streaky at times, they have enough firepower to put up big numbers against the Spurs.

PICK: Pacers -4.5 (-110)

Find more sports picks from the top sports bettors and NBA experts all in one place using our iOS and Google Play apps, as well as our other articles at Kingpin.pro.  We are the home for NBA picks, sports picks and sports betting.

NBA expert picks, Expert NBA picks, NBA expert picks today, Expert NBA picks today, Top NBA picks for today, Expert NBA picks free, NBA expert picks against the spread.