The surging Indiana Pacers head to Rocket Arena for a Sunday afternoon showdown against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in what could be a potential playoff preview despite key stars potentially sitting out.
Cleveland's league-best offense (122.2 PPG) faces a serious test from the Pacers, who've won 12 of their last 15 games and took two of three previous meetings this season, including Thursday's nail-biter where Tyrese Haliburton dropped 23 points and 10 assists.
With Indiana riding hot since the All-Star break (19-9) and the Cavs looking to build momentum heading into the postseason as Eastern Conference leaders, expect an entertaining chess match when the Cleveland Cavaliers host the Indiana Pacers.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers prediction: who will win?
For today's Cleveland Cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers matchup, our predictive model gives the Cavs a 51% chance of defeating the Pacers.
Pre-game probabilities
Cleveland Cavaliers
Moneyline
Win %
51%
49%
Indiana Pacers
Cleveland Cavaliers: 51% win probability
- Superior overall record (64-17 vs 49-32)
- More efficient scoring attack (9881 points scored, most in the Eastern Conference)
- Home court advantage as the #1 seed in the East (64 wins leads the conference)
Indiana Pacers: 49% win probability
- Defensive inconsistency (9323 points allowed, 4th most among playoff teams in East)
- Lower overall win percentage (49-32 compared to Cavs' 64-17)
- Recent momentum faces tough challenge (Despite 4-1 in last 5, Cavs have been dominant all season)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model brings together insights from top NBA experts. Instead of searching through countless expert analyses online, you can rely on our predictions to capture the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing expert picks, data, and trends, while our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. These confidence levels are then averaged to generate an 'expert opinion' win probability—providing a data-driven reflection of the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NBA analysts..
| Cleveland Cavaliers | Indiana Pacers | |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline |
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Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers preview
The red-hot Pacers head to Rocket Arena this Sunday looking to build on their impressive 19-9 record since the All-Star break against the East's top-seeded Cavaliers, who've already locked up home-court advantage throughout the conference playoffs.
Thursday's thrilling 112-110 Pacers victory in Indianapolis marked the third meeting between these Central Division rivals this season, with Indiana taking two of those contests and setting up this potential playoff preview.
Tyrese Haliburton's been stellar for Indiana, coming off a 23-point, 10-assist performance in their last matchup, while Cleveland's offense - ranked #1 in the league at 122.2 points per game - might be missing some firepower with stars Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley all listed as day-to-day.
Indiana's offensive machine (ranked 8th in efficiency) will look to exploit a potentially undermanned Cavs defense, though Cleveland's depth showed up big time with Ty Jerome dropping 24 points in their previous meeting.
The Pacers are looking to bounce back after Orlando snapped their six-game winning streak on Friday, while Cleveland enters having just earned an impressive comeback win against the Knicks.
With the Pacers locked into the East's fourth seed, this matchup offers a glimpse at what could be a potential second-round playoff clash if both teams advance past their first-round opponents.
Expect a fast-paced affair with both teams ranking in the top 10 in pace across the league - Cleveland at 10th and Indiana at 7th.
Sunday's matinee should feature plenty of scoring, with their previous meeting producing 222 total points and both squads bringing top-10 offenses to Cleveland for the Cavs' final regular-season home game.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers form
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers head to head
Cleveland Cavaliers
40%
Indiana Pacers
60%
Apr 13, 2025
Cleveland Cavaliers
0 : 0
Indiana Pacers
Apr 10, 2025
Indiana Pacers
114 : 112
Cleveland Cavaliers
Jan 15, 2025
Indiana Pacers
117 : 127
Cleveland Cavaliers
Jan 12, 2025
Cleveland Cavaliers
93 : 108
Indiana Pacers
Oct 10, 2024
Cleveland Cavaliers
117 : 129
Indiana Pacers
Jul 20, 2024
Cleveland Cavaliers
100 : 93
Indiana Pacers
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