NBA Bets for May 23 - Best Bets for Celtics vs. Pacers Game 2

We’ve officially got a series in the Western Conference Finals. The Mavericks managed to steal Game 1 in Minnesota on Wednesday, putting the Timberwolves in an early hole. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were incredible, racking up 63 combined points in the tight victory.

That puts the Timberwolves immediately on the defensive. Dropping the first two games of a series is bad enough, but doing so at home is even worse. It makes Game 2 a quasi-must-win for the Timberwolves before the series shifts back to Dallas.

We’ll see if the East can follow suit on Thursday. The Celtics managed to get out of Game 1 with a miraculous win, but the Pacers proved that they’re up for a fight.

Can they pull off the upset in Game 2? Let’s dive into my best bets for Celtics vs. Pacers Game 2.

Best Bets for Celtics vs. Pacers Game 2

Celtics -9.0 vs. Pacers (-105; Caesars)

Game 1 was a bit of an eye-opener. It was a spot where the Celtics were supposed to cruise. They were coming off an extended rest, while the Pacers had to fight a grueling seven-game series vs. the Knicks. Boston jumped out to an immediate 12-0 lead, so they appeared to be in full control.

Of course, we know how things played out afterward. The Pacers refused to roll over and die, and they should’ve walked away with a Game 1 upset. They were up three with the ball with less than 10 seconds left, but a turnover and a Jaylen Brown 3-pointer allowed the Celtics to steal a victory.

The Pacers were able to navigate the Celtics’ elite defense pretty easily in Game 1. If they can continue to do that, they’re going to hang around in this series. However, I’m expecting a bit of shooting regression from Indiana moving forward. Specifically, Myles Turner and Obi Toppin are not going to shoot a combined 15-21 from the field and 4-6 from 3-point range like they did in Game 1.

The biggest issue for Boston in Game 1 was their bench. Believe it or not, the team was actually +20 in Jayson Tatum’s 45.5 minutes. The issue was they were outscored by 15 points in the 7.5 minutes he sat. The Pacers’ reserves have been better than the Celtics in the postseason, but I don’t expect the gap to be that wide moving forward.

Finally, the Celtics should be laser-focused in Game 2. They’ve dropped Game 2 in each of their first two series, and their record in Boston over the past three playoffs has been a disaster. They’re well aware of those trends, so they’re going to make sure they don’t fall into the same traps vs. the Pacers.

More Bets for Celtics vs. Pacers Game 2

T.J. McConnell Over 14.5 points + assists (-105; DraftKings)

I’ve been on this prop a few times during the postseason, and it’s been pretty good to me. McConnell has established himself as a significant part of the Pacers’ rotation. He plays around 20 minutes off the bench, and he’s hyper-active when he’s on the floor. Overall, he’s posted a 27.1% usage rate and a 38.1% assist rate during the postseason.

Those figures were down just a touch in Game 1 vs. the Celtics, but he still finished with 17 points + assists. He’s gone over 14.5 in three straight games and seven of his past nine, and he’s doing it by a pretty comfortable margin. Even in a tough matchup, this number is simply too low.

Derrick White Over 15.5 points (-120)

White did not have his best performance in Game 1, finishing with just 15 points on 5-13 shooting. It was his fourth time in his past five outings with 15 points or fewer, so he’s cooled down significantly after a torrid start to the postseason.

Still, White remains a significant part of the Celtics’ offense. He’s maintained an 18.3% usage rate through his rough stretch; he simply hasn’t made enough shots. He’s shot 33.3% from the field and 32.4% from 3-point range over his past five outings, which is not what you’d expect from a player of his caliber.

The Pacers’ defense remains underwhelming, so this seems like the perfect opportunity to buy low on White. I like the over on 15.5 points, and I wouldn’t mind a sprinkle on some of his alternate scoring props as well.

2024 NBA Playoffs Bets Record

Yesterday: 3-0 (+1.5 units)
Futures: 6-2 w/ three pending (+1.75 units)
Playoffs: 41-39 (+0.125 units excluding futures)