After shocking the top-seeded Cavaliers with a 121-112 road win in Game 1, the Indiana Pacers look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead when they visit Cleveland at Rocket Arena on Tuesday night.
The Pacers' hot shooting (52.8% from three-point range) propelled them to victory in the opener, while Cleveland struggled mightily from deep, connecting on just 23.7% of their attempts despite dominating inside with 70 points in the paint.
Both teams face potential injury concerns heading into this pivotal matchup, with Cleveland monitoring the status of Darius Garland, De'Andre Hunter, and Evan Mobley—all listed as questionable for Game 2.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Cleveland Cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers matchup, our predictive model gives the Pacers a 60% chance of defeating the Cavs.
Indiana Pacers: 60% win probability
- Offensive firepower (9624 points scored this season, 4th highest in the league)
- Hot streak momentum (WLWWW recent form with 4 wins in last 5 games)
- Road performance resilience (50 wins overall indicates strong performance regardless of venue)
Cleveland Cavaliers: 40% win probability
- Inconsistent recent form (LWLWL shows alternating wins and losses in last 5 games)
- Defensive vulnerability (9217 points allowed, higher than the Pacers' defensive record)
- Potential fatigue factor (As the #1 team in the East with 64 wins, they may be resting key players or lacking urgency)
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 vs. Indiana Pacers odds
Here are the latest odds for the NBA matchup between the Indiana Pacers and the home team Cleveland Cavaliers set for Tuesday, May 06.
| Cleveland Cavaliers | Indiana Pacers | |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | -420 (via FanDuel Sportsbook) | +333 (via BetMGM Sportsbook) |
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Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers preview
The Pacers stunned the top-seeded Cavaliers with a 121-112 victory in Game 1, extending their 2024-25 dominance over Cleveland to four wins in five meetings this season.
Andrew Nembhard's breakout 23-point performance on 70% shooting led Indiana's balanced attack that saw five players score in double-figures while connecting on a blistering 53% from deep.
Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell poured in 33 points but struggled mightily from long range (1-of-11), reflecting his team's collective 24% three-point shooting that ultimately doomed their chances despite dominating inside with 70 paint points.
The Cavaliers now find themselves in unfamiliar territory at Rocket Arena—having to defend home court after squandering their series opener—with injured starters Darius Garland, De'Andre Hunter, and Evan Mobley all questionable for Tuesday's pivotal Game 2.
While Cleveland boasted the NBA's top offense during the regular season (123.5 PPG), Indiana's uptempo attack has consistently given the Cavaliers fits, with the teams trending toward high-scoring affairs as they've eclipsed the total in three of their last four meetings.
Key stats
- 1The Cavaliers sit atop the Eastern Conference with a 64-18 record, establishing themselves as the dominant force in the East
- 2Indiana holds the 4th position in the Eastern Conference with a 50-32 record, showing they're a legitimate playoff contender
- 3Cleveland has the league's best offensive output, scoring 9,999 points this season while maintaining a strong defensive presence
- 4The Pacers enter this matchup in excellent form, winning 4 of their last 5 games (WLWWW), while Cleveland has alternated wins and losses (LWLWL)
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers form
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers head to head
Cleveland Cavaliers
40%
Indiana Pacers
60%
May 6, 2025
Cleveland Cavaliers
0 : 0
Indiana Pacers
May 4, 2025
Cleveland Cavaliers
112 : 121
Indiana Pacers
Apr 13, 2025
Cleveland Cavaliers
118 : 126
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
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