Indiana Pacers vs Dallas Mavericks Predictions

Indiana's guard injuries favor Dallas

The NBA injury report lists Tyrese Haliburton out with a left hamstring strain and T.J. McConnell questionable with a right hamstring strain. Johnny Furphy and Ben Sheppard are also out. Those absences favor Dallas, which beat Indiana 121-105 on Oct. 23 and is priced by SPF as a 3.5-point home favorite and -169 on the moneyline.

The Indiana Pacers / NBA.com preview lists Braden Smith and Andrew Nembhard as the probable starting guards alongside Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac. Dallas' probable starters are Kyrie Irving, Max Christie, Cooper Flagg, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford.

Dallas brings form and fresh legs

Dallas Mavericks / NBA.com reported that Dallas improved to 6-4 and extended its winning streak to two games with a 130-93 victory over Brooklyn on Nov. 8. Flagg had 25 points, five rebounds and a career-high 12 assists, Irving scored 21, and Gafford added 18. No Maverick played more than 29 minutes, limiting the workload before the second game in two nights.

Betting view

Dallas is the more likely winner, but the Mavericks had not submitted their injury report when the NBA issued its latest update. That missing information makes -169 too expensive and creates the same problem with laying 3.5 points. The available evidence also doesn't support a bet on the 222.5 total. Pass.