NBA Wednesday: Celtics -11 Over Pacers Headline Slate
Nine NBA games tonight with Boston laying double digits in Indiana. Plus Bulls as home favorites over Clippers and Rockets hosting Spurs.
By Sharp Money Mike
The NBA serves up nine games tonight with Boston heading to Indianapolis as massive double-digit favorites. The Celtics are laying 11 points on the road, which tells you exactly where these two franchises sit right now.
The Quick Hit
- What happened: Nine NBA games on tap for Wednesday night
- The damage: Celtics -11, Bulls -3.5, Rockets -4.5 headline the action
- Why you should care: Some sneaky good matchups buried in here
- The move: The under has hit in 9 of the Spurs' last 10 games—Houston total set at 222.5
The Main Event: Boston in Indy
Celtics at Pacers | 7:30 PM ET
- Spread: Celtics -11
- Total: 227.5
- Moneyline: Boston -550 / Indiana +400
Eleven points on the road. That's where we are with the Celtics. Boston has been running through the league since the new year, and Indiana has been... well, Indiana. The Pacers can score, which explains the 227.5 total, but their defense gives up everything.
The public will hammer the over, as they always do with Pacers games. The sharper play might be the under, betting that Boston controls pace and limits possessions.
Bulls Get Home Respect
Clippers at Bulls | 8:00 PM ET
- Spread: Bulls -3.5
- Total: 226
- Moneyline: Chicago -162 / LA +136
The Clippers (19-23) have been a mess since Kawhi's latest injury issues. Chicago (20-22) isn't exactly setting the world on fire, but they're home and they're healthier. The Bulls as 3.5-point favorites feels about right for two mediocre teams meeting in the middle of January.
Spurs-Rockets: Bet the Under
Spurs at Rockets | 8:00 PM ET
- Spread: Rockets -4.5
- Total: 222.5
- Moneyline: Houston -162 / San Antonio +136
Here's your trend of the night: the total has gone UNDER in 9 of San Antonio's last 10 games. The Spurs (30-13) have been winning ugly—grinding games out, limiting possessions, letting Wemby do Wemby things on defense.
Houston (25-15) is still fighting for Western Conference positioning. This should be a physical, playoff-style game. The 222.5 total feels high given San Antonio's recent tendencies.
The Spurs have also covered in 5 of their last 7 games straight up. Getting 4.5 points with a team that's been winning and controlling tempo isn't the worst spot.
Suns Visit Sixers
Suns at 76ers | 7:00 PM ET
- Spread: 76ers -1.5
- Total: 223
- Moneyline: Philadelphia -108 / Phoenix -112
A coin flip game in Philly. The Sixers (23-18) are slight home favorites, but the Suns (26-17) have Kevin Durant and Devin Booker doing Kevin Durant and Devin Booker things. This total feels about right—both teams can score but neither plays elite defense.
The Full Wednesday Slate
| Game | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Suns at 76ers | PHI -1.5 | 223 |
| Celtics at Pacers | BOS -11 | 227.5 |
| Clippers at Bulls | CHI -3.5 | 226 |
| Spurs at Rockets | HOU -4.5 | 222.5 |
| Wolves at Wizards | MIN -10.5 | 226 |
| Capitals at Canucks | - | - |
The Timberwolves are laying double digits against Washington as well. Minnesota (27-16) has been rolling and the Wizards are... the Wizards.
The Bottom Line
Wednesday nights are for grinding. Nine games means there's value somewhere—you just have to find it. The Spurs under has been printing money. The Celtics laying 11 on the road feels like a trap. The Bulls as home favorites against a broken Clippers team has some merit.
Pick your spots and let's get to Thursday.