Pacers vs. Kings: Best Bets & Bold Predictions

Indiana Pacers (13-15 SU, 11-16 ATS) vs. Sacramento Kings (13-16 SU, 11-18 ATS)

When: Sunday, December 22nd, 6:00 PM (ET)

Where: Golden 1 Center, CA, Sacramento

TV: NBCS

Point Spread: Ind +2/Sac -2

Total: 236

Money Line: Indiana Pacers +112/-132

Notable Injuries

Pacers

• James Wiseman (Out) Achilles
• Aaron Nesmith (Out) Ankle
• Isaiah Jackson (Out) Achilles
• Ben Sheppard (Questionable) Oblique

Kings

• Devin Carter (Out) Shoulder

At 6:00 ET, the Pacers will be in Sacramento to take on the Kings. Sacramento is currently favored by 2 points, and the over/under line is set at 236.

Indiana comes into this non-conference matchup with a record of 13-15, and they are currently on a 3-game winning streak. As for the Kings, they are 13-16 and have lost three straight games. You can catch this game on NBCS.

Recent Form

The Pacers improved to 13-15 this season with a 120-111 road win over the Suns on Thursday. Indiana entered the game as +6 point underdogs and not only won but covered the spread. The total score of 231 points fell just short of the 235.5-point over/under line.

Indiana took control with a 14-0 run, stretching the score from 17-13 to 31-13. They dominated the 3rd quarter, outscoring Phoenix 37-24, and entered the 4th with a 97-83 lead. The Suns made a push in the final period, but Indiana held on for the win.

The Kings fell to 13-16 on the season after a 103-99 home loss to the Lakers on Saturday. Sacramento, who were -4 point favorites, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 202 were well below the O/U line of 227.5.

Sacramento trailed 31-26 after the 1st quarter but edged the Lakers 27-25 in the 2nd. The Lakers took the 3rd quarter 25-24, and both teams scored 22 points in the 4th, leaving the Kings unable to close the gap.

The Historicals

In terms of betting, Sacramento has an ATS record of 3-2 in the previous five matchups vs Indiana. This mark has come on an average scoring margin of +6 points per game in favor of the Kings. In these contests, they averaged a combined 236 points per game, leading to an over-under mark of 3-2.

Analysis

Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 25 points and 18 rebounds in their win over the Suns, adding 11 points in the 3rd quarter. Myles Turner and Andrew Nembhard each contributed 19 points, with Nembhard shooting 100% from deep and scoring 8 points in the 3rd.

The Pacers hit 16 threes at a 39% clip, with an overall FG% of 43.8%. Siakam made three threes, shooting 42.9% from beyond the arc.

Despite giving up 111 points, the Pacers’ defense did enough to secure the win over the Suns on Thursday. Indiana allowed 29 points in the 1st quarter and 30 in the 2nd but tightened up in the 3rd, where they gave up just 24 points. The Pacers allowed 28 points in the 4th quarter.

Indiana held Phoenix to 9 made threes on 30% shooting from beyond the arc. The Suns went to the line 28 times, making 22 free throws. The Pacers gave up seven offensive rebounds while collecting nine steals and seven blocks.

In their 99-point effort against the Lakers, the Kings struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 27% of their threes and making only 10 in total. Their overall field goal percentage was 43.3%, which was below their usual standard.

De’Aaron Fox led the way with 31 points, shooting 70.6% from the field and 60% from three, adding seven assists. Domantas Sabonis contributed 19 points and 19 rebounds, scoring 7 points in the 4th quarter.

The Kings tightened up their defense after a rough 1st quarter, allowing just 72 points over the final three periods, including 22 in the 4th. Despite the strong defensive effort, they couldn’t come away with the win, giving up 103 points on 48% shooting from the field.

Sacramento did an excellent job defending the three-point line, holding the Lakers to 9 made threes on 25% shooting. They also sent Los Angeles to the free-throw line 21 times, where they converted 14. The Kings finished with 10 steals and one block.

Betting Trends

• Across their last five road contests, Indiana has been good against the spread, posting a mark of 3-2. Their overall mark in these games was 3-2, while averaging 114 points per game.
• Across their five previous home games, Sacramento has an ATS mark of 2-3. Their straight-up record in these matchups was 3-2 while averaging 116 points per game.
• Going back to their previous five games as the underdog, Indiana has an ATS mark of 2-3 while going 2-3 straight up.
• Going back to their last five games as the favorite, the Kings have a straight up record of 2-3. But their mark vs the spread was just 1-4.

Joe’s Pick To Cover The Spread

These two teams are almost mirror images of each other in their respective conferences, as both teams love to push the pace and can really struggle defensively. However, injuries to key rotational players are still a big issue for the Pacers, and even though they have won three straight while the Kings have dropped three straight, I still like the Kings tonight. Look for them to win this one and cover at -2.