Dallas
Mavericks
0-1
Spread
+7.5
NBA Predictions
Dallas Mavericks vs Indiana Pacers Predictions
Friday, October 23, 2026 at 7:00pm EST at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
@
Indiana
Pacers
1-0
Spread
-7.5
50%
50%
Spread
Dallas Mavericks +7.5
Indiana Pacers -7.5
Moneyline
Dallas Mavericks +215
Indiana Pacers -265
Total
Over 241.5 (-110)
Under 241.5 (-110)
Professional Picks
5 listed
Professional Picks On This Game
Cecil Cohen
Total pick
Simon Says
Spread pick
Tanner Edwards
Spread pick
Tanner Edwards
Total pick
Ryne Bach
Spread pick
Mavericks vs. Pacers Prediction: Indiana Favored, but -6.5 Is a Pass
Analysis updated October 23, 2026 at 7:12 AM CDT
Indiana opened with a win while Dallas lost by 18, but the Pacers' stronger start isn't enough to justify laying 6.5 points with several players unavailable or day-to-day.
Indiana has the better opening result
Indiana beat New Orleans 123-120 on opening night, while Dallas lost 128-110 at Houston. Both teams had one day off before Friday's game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, so rest doesn't favor either side. Indiana's home court and stronger opener make the Pacers the likelier winner, but a single game is a thin case for a seven-point margin.
Dallas won last season's two meetings 107-105 and 134-130. That history favors caution with Indiana -6.5, though roster changes and the small sample keep it from supporting a Dallas wager.
Unavailable players add risk to the spread
Hoops Nightly, an NBA game information site, lists Dallas players Caleb Martin, Tarik Biberovic, Dereck Lively II and Santi Aldama as out. Jett Howard is day-to-day, and the expected starting lineup isn't confirmed. Dallas' frontcourt absences make its chances of staying within 6.5 points difficult to judge.
Indiana's Johnny Furphy and T.J. McConnell are out, while Ben Sheppard and Aaron Nesmith are day-to-day. The unresolved rotation carries more risk at -6.5 than on the moneyline because Indiana must win by at least seven to cover.
Betting view
Indiana is the likely winner, but the -230 moneyline pays too little given the lineup questions. The side is a pass at Indiana -6.5.
The total is 238.5, with over -105 and under -115. One game from each team doesn't establish a reliable scoring or pace pattern, so there's no supported total wager.
Pick
Indiana Pacers
Confidence
low
Betting lean
Pass