Peter’s Points: NBA Best Bets Today (Expert Predictions, Picks for Myles Turner, Celtics-Pacers Game 2)

It wasn’t easy for the Boston Celtics in Game 1, as they needed a miraculous shot from Jaylen Brown to force overtime to eventually beat the Indiana Pacers and take a 1-0 series lead. 

Boston is now favored by nine points in Game 2, and it’s possible that Game 1 was the wake-up game that the Celtics have needed all postseason – they lost Game 2 in each of their first two series – to turn them into the team that dominated all regular season. 

In Game 1, I had two plays, one for Pascal Siakam and one for the Celtics in the first half. Only Siakam came through, but I’m going back to the well – with an added play – in Game 2.

NBA Best Bets Record to Date

• 2023-24 season record: 366-374-13 (-7.18 units)
• Overall record (last 2+ seasons): 991-932-21 (+32.75 units)

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

NBA Best Bets Today

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

• Myles Turner OVER 1.5 3-Pointers Made (-120) – 0.5 unit
• Boston Celtics First Half -5 (-110) vs. Indiana Pacers – 0.5 unit
• Pascal Siakam OVER 20.5 Points (-105) – 0.5 unit

Myles Turner OVER 1.5 3-Pointers Made (-120) – 0.5 unit

Myles Turner hit two or more shots from beyond the arc in two of his five games in the regular season, and he poured in three made shots from 3 on four attempts.

Boston had a hard time guarding the pick-and-pop for Indiana with Turner and Siakam as the roll men. 

This postseason, Turner is shooting 47.3 percent from the 3-point range this postseason, averaging 2.5 made shots from 3 per game. 

I think this line is way too low for him in Game 2. 

Boston Celtics First Half -5 (-110) vs. Indiana Pacers – 0.5 unit

Yes, the Boston Celtics failed to cover the first-half spread in Game 1, but I’m going to trust them in Game 2. 

The Celtics are 62-30-1 against the spread in the first half this season, and they had multiple double-digit leads in the first half in Game 1, but wilted down the stretch of the first half. 

I expect the C’s to come out firing on Thursday after they were tested in Game 1 – similarly to how they dominated Game 3 in each of the first two rounds of the playoffs. 

Indiana also shot nearly 60 percent in the first half, and it’s unlikely that it remains that hot in Game 2 – especially since it shot well in Game 7 on Sunday as well. 

I’ll trust the C’s to get off to a strong start.  

Pascal Siakam OVER 20.5 Points (-105) – 0.5 unit

I am surprised that this line is back at 20.5 points for Siakam after he scored 24 points on 23 shots in Game 1.

Siakam dominated in the pick-and-roll in the fourth quarter, and he now has 22 or more points in four of his last six playoff games with one of the games under this number being a 20-point showing in Game 7. 

The Pacers forward has attempted over 20 shots in two of his last three games, scoring 25 and 24 in those games. 

Boston doesn’t have a great one-on-one matchup for Siakam, and the Pacers attacked Al Horford all night long with Siakam in the high post. I expect him to have a major role again in Game 2.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.