Game 1 Preview: Pacers vs Cavaliers Odds, Predictions, Picks & Player Props

• The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of their best-of-seven series on Sunday evening
• The Cavaliers are heavy favorites to take Game 1 at home
• Below, see the Indiana Pacers vs Cleveland Cavaliers odds, picks, predictions, and player props on May 4

The #1 Cleveland Cavaliers (64-18, 34-7 home) and #4 Indiana Pacers (50-32, 20-20 away) start their second-round, best-of-seven series on Sunday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland at 6:10 pm ET. The Cavs are heavy favorites in Sunday’s NBA odds after running over Miami in the first round of the NBA playoff bracket.

Indiana Pacers vs Cleveland Cavaliers Odds (Game 1)

Cleveland is currently laying eight points in Sunday’s Pacers/Cavs odds and is a -355 favorite on the moneyline, giving the Cavaliers a 78.02% implied win probability. The Pacers come back as +278 road underdogs (26.46% implied win probability). The Pacers vs Cavaliers game total is sitting at 229.5, the highest of the postseason to date.

Odds as of 9:52 am ET at Caesars. Claim the Caesars Sportsbook promo code to bet on Pacers/Cavs tonight.

The Cavs went over the total in three of four games during their first-round sweep of Miami. The Pacers went over in three of five against Milwaukee. Including postseason, Cleveland is an NBA-best 54-32 over/under this year. Indiana is 46-39-2 O/U including playoffs.

Cleveland came out of the first round with a ludicrous +33.5 Net Rating thanks to a 37-point win in Game 3 and a laughable 55-point win in Game 4. The Pacers finished their five-game series with the Bucks with a +6.9 Net Rating.

IND vs CLE Player Props

NBA player props as of May 4 at bet365.

Donovan Mitchell (23.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 4.0 APG postseason) leads the point totals on Sunday at 26.5 O/U. No other player is over the 20-point plateau. Pascal Siakam (19.8 PPG, 6.0 APG, 2.4 APG) has the highest total on the Indiana side at 19.5 O/U.

Jarrett Allen (14.3 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.3 APG postseason) leads the rebound totals at 10.5 while Tyrese Haliburton (17.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 11.6 APG postseason) has the highest assist total at 10.5.

Pacers vs Cavaliers Prediction & Picks

The Pacers had their share of success against the Cavaliers in the regular season. Indiana won a 108-93 decision in Cleveland on Jan. 12 as nine-point road underdogs. They also beat Cleveland twice late in the regular season, though the Cavs were resting starters in both. Cleveland won the only other meeting, 127-117 on Jan. 14 as eight-point road favorites.

As great as Cleveland looked in the first round, Miami was on fumes and seriously devoid of scoring. The Pacers are a very different beast. They scored at least 108 points in all four regular-season games against Cleveland, averaging 116.3 PPG, four points higher than Cleveland’s 112.4 PAPG.

The only game Indiana lost to Cleveland this year came when Tyrese Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith were both injured. Indiana heads into Game 1 at full strength. The Cavs list Darius Garland (20.6 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 6.7 APG regular season) as questionable due to a toe injury that kept him out of both Games 3 and 4 against Miami.

The Indiana Pacers will face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of their playoff series, and fans are eagerly anticipating the matchup. Both teams have had strong seasons, with the Pacers finishing as the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference and the Cavaliers as the 5th seed.

When it comes to the odds for Game 1, the Pacers are currently favored to win by 3 points. This is not surprising given their strong performance throughout the regular season. However, the Cavaliers should not be underestimated, as they have a talented roster led by superstar LeBron James.

In terms of predictions, many experts believe that this series will be closely contested and could go either way. The Pacers have a well-rounded team with players like Victor Oladipo and Myles Turner who can make a big impact on both ends of the court. On the other hand, the Cavaliers have LeBron James, who has proven time and time again that he can single-handedly carry his team to victory.

As for picks and player props, there are a few key players to keep an eye on in Game 1. Victor Oladipo will be crucial for the Pacers, as he has been their go-to scorer all season. Look for him to have a big game and potentially lead his team to victory. On the Cavaliers side, LeBron James will undoubtedly be the focal point of their offense. Expect him to put up big numbers and make a significant impact on the game.

Overall, Game 1 between the Pacers and Cavaliers is shaping up to be an exciting matchup. Both teams have the talent and experience to make a deep playoff run, so fans can expect a competitive and entertaining series. Stay tuned for what promises to be a thrilling game and series between these two Eastern Conference powerhouses.