Joralexray Garcia
After a night of just four games, the NBA will be back in action this January 18 with a day full of great matchups, such as Pacers vs Thunder, which features two teams fighting for a place in the playoffs.
While the Thunder were the winners in the previous meeting between these teams, it has been the Pacers who have dominated the series recently, having won six of their last eight matchups.
JefeBet brings you the best analysis of the different games of the best basketball league in the world with their respective predictions. We strive to offer you the best sports betting content, and today we bring you our Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder prediction.
Predictions, Odds, and Betting Preview for the Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Regular Season Game on January 18, 2023
- Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
- When: Wednesday, January 18, 2023, 8:00 PM E.T.
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Betting on the Indiana Pacers
- Season record: 23-21
The Pacers, who have a winning record and are now in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, just 2.0 games off of a playoff spot, keep struggling with consistency. They have lost four straight games due to an injury to Tyrese Haliburton, which will keep him out for a few weeks.
The latest of these losses came last Monday at a tough visit to the Milwaukee Bucks.Although the Pacers were without their top player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, they managed to win by a score of 119-132, with Myles Turner and T.J. McConnell being the best for the Pacers with 30 and 29 points, respectively.
Those poor performances away from home are what have taken their toll on the Pacers this campaign, given that they’ve recorded 8 wins and 12 losses ont he road, which gives up a dreadful average of 117.1 points allowed. Moreover, their offense has also been less productive also on the road, averaging just 112.7 points scored.
Betting on the Oklahoma City Thunder
- Season record: 21-23
The Thunder, who are currently in 12th place in the Western Conference but are only 1.5 games behind the sixth-place team, have experienced the same issue as the Pacers this season. Despite leaving very positive impressions, they have struggled to take that next step to establish themselves as a true playoff contender.
After four road games, the team returns home in the middle of a remarkable three-game winning streak and with only one loss in their last six games. During that spectacular stretch, they recorded unexpected victories over teams like the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks and Brooklyn Nets, all superior on paper.
The Brooklyn Nets were the opponents in the team’s most recent triumph under young coach Mark Daigneault. Despite being behind much of the game, they produced an incredible fourth quarter, winning 37-22 to secure a 112-102 victory.
JefeBet Prediction
The Thunder have been a particularly strong team offensively, currently averaging 116.8 points scored per game, led by a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who is among the league’s top scorers and backed by a young Josh Giddey who has been performing at a very high level recently.
That will be of particular concern to the Pacers, who frequently struggle defensively when playing away from home. They also have a tendency to reduce their offensive output: this will undoubtedly be helpful for the Thunder, who don’t always play solid defense.
Considering all of this, we anticipate the Thunder, who are in great form and are playing at home, where they have had the best results (13-9), to set the tone and defeat the Pacers, who are struggling, for a fourth straight victory.
Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder spread.
