The Brooklyn Nets continue their pursuit of the No. 1 overall seed in the Eastern Conference when they visit the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. The Nets (42-20) became the first team in the East to wrap up a playoff spot in Tuesday's victory over Toronto, stretching their winning streak to three games. Indiana (29-32), winners of three in a row before Tuesday's drubbing by visiting Portland, is sitting in ninth place in the Eastern Conference and is trying to move up to sixth to avoid a spot in the NBA's play-in tournament. James Harden (hamstring) remains out for Brooklyn, while Kyrie Irving (groin) has been ruled out of this matchup.
Tip-off is at 7 p.m. ET in Indianapolis. The latest Nets vs. Pacers odds from William Hill Sportsbook list Brooklyn as a five-point favorite. The over-under is set at 241.5. Before finalizing any Pacers vs. Nets picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned over $9,400 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up over $1,400 on its top-rated picks this season and entered Week 19 of the 2020-21 NBA schedule on a stunning 97-60 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread dating back to last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Nets vs. Pacers. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Pacers vs. Nets:
- Nets vs. Pacers spread: Nets -5
- Nets vs. Pacers over-under: 241.5 points
- Nets vs. Pacers: Nets -200; Pacers +175
- BKN: The Nets lead the league in field goal percentage (49.3)
- IND: No. 2 scorer Domantas Sabonis (back) is expected to miss a sixth straight game
Why the Nets can cover
Despite having its Big Three in the lineup together for only seven games, Brooklyn still features the No. 2 scoring offense in the league at 118.7 points per game. Kevin Durant averages 27.1 points per game and he'll be asked to carry the load in this one with Irving and Harden out. Durant scored seven of his 17 points in the fourth quarter and buried a 3-pointer to close out a victory against the Raptors on Tuesday.
Five players were ruled for their last game but the undermanned Nets still received a combined 38 points from reserves Blake Griffin, Mike James and Tyler Johnson. Griffin had 17 points and six rebounds and is averaging 15.3 points and 5.3 boards over the last three games. James was signed to a 10-day contract last week and has fit in seamlessly, contributing 11 points and eight assists Tuesday while playing all 12 minutes in the fourth quarter.
Why the Pacers can cover
Top scorer Malcolm Brogdon struggled with his shot and finished with 18 points in Tuesday's loss to Portland, but he scored at least 23 in seven of his previous nine games and also hit at least seven 3-pointers on seven occasions in that span. The 6-foot-5 guard is averaging career bests in points (21.5) and rebounds (5.3) while handing out 5.9 assists per game. Brogdon scored a team-high 24 points in last month's loss to Brooklyn.
As part of the blockbuster four-team trade in January that landed Harden, the Nets shipped guard Caris LeVert to the Pacers. LeVert is averaging 18.7 points with Indiana and his numbers across the board pretty much mirror his production from his 12 games with Brooklyn. He scored 19 points in his first meeting against his former teammates on March 17 and has picked up his offense this month, averaging 21.2 points in April.
How to make Pacers vs. Nets picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 253 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 60 percent of the time. You can get that pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Pacers vs. Nets? And which side of the spread hits well over 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a roll on NBA picks.
Nets vs. Pacers odds, line, spread: 2021 NBA picks, April 29 predictions from model on 97-60 roll - CBS Sports
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