Celtics vs. Pacers predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends and best bets for January 12

Two teams at opposite ends of the standings meet tonight in Indianapolis when Payton Pritchard and the Celtics (24-14) take on Pascal Siakam and the Pacers (8-31).

Boston sits just ½ game behind the Knicks in the Atlantic Division while the Pacers languish in last in the Central, 20.5 games behind the Pistons. The success of the Celtics has been a surprise considering Jayson Tatum (Achilles) remains sidelined, but Jaylen Brown’s play has elevated him to the fringe of MVP consideration. Some may argue Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) should garner some MVP attention as well. The Pacers’ point guard has not played this season, but his value to Indiana has never been more obvious. He has been sidelined since last season’s NBA Finals and without him, as their record indicates, the Pacers have been dreadful.

All that said, Brown (back) is likely out tonight which obviously changes the handicap and puts more of the onus on offense on Derrick White and Payton Pritchard. With that in mind, lets take a closer look at the matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including thelatest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Celtics vs. Pacers

Date: Monday, January 12, 2026
Site: Gainbridge Fieldhouse

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Game odds for the Celtics at the Pacers

The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:

Moneyline: Boston Celtics (-230), Indiana Pacers (+190)

This game opened Celtics -6.5 with the Total set at 224.5.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

Expected Starting Lineups

Celtics

Pacers

Important stats, trends and insights: Celtics at Pacers

Boston has won 8 of their last 10 outright against Indiana but the Pacers are 7-3 ATS in those 10 games
The OVER has cashed in 8 of the last 10 games between the Celtics and the Pacers
The Celtics are 12-7 on the Moneyline on the road this season
The Celtics are 20-18 ATS this season
The OVER has cashed in 17 of the Celtics’ 38 games this season
The Pacers are 6-15 at home on the Moneyline this season
The Pacers are 20-19 ATS this season
The OVER has cashed in 14 of the Pacers’ 40 games this season

Rotoworld Best Bet

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Jay Croucher’s (@croucherJD) Favorite Plays: Payton Pritchard OVER 6.5 Assists AND Derrick White OVER 3.5 3-Pointers

“I don’t really understand how it’s even possible, but Boston has had the league’s #1 offense for 2 months now, and Payton Pritchard’s growth as a playmaker is a key reason why. Jaylen Brown is out tonight, and with Brown off the floor Pritchard averages 7.6 assists per 36 minutes. I expect him to hit the over tonight.

Who are those assists going to? How about Derrick White. I’m taking White to make at least 4 threes tonight. White attempted 17 threes last game – that’s a lot – and his usage climbs from 21% to 32% without Jaylen Brown, so I expect him to ramp up his scoring as Boston’s #1 option tonight.

You can check out my plays for tonight’s games by searching “Peacock” on the DraftKings Sportsbook App.”

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Celtics & Pacers game:

Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Pacers -5.5
Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 226.5

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
– Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
– Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
– Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
– Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)

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