Cleveland-cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers Picks and Predictions May 6th 2025

Cleveland-Cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers May 6th 2025

At 7:00 ET, the Pacers will travel to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers. Cleveland is favored by 9 and the over/under line is 229.5. The Pacers are 50-32 and have won 3 in a row. The Cavs are 64-18 and are 1st in the East.

This Eastern Central Division matchup will be played at Rocket Arena and can be seen on TNT. The Pacers are +314 on the moneyline while the Cavs are -399.

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Pacers vs. Cavaliers Key Information

• Sport: NBA
• Teams: Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers
• Where: Cleveland at Rocket Arena
• Date: Tuesday, May 6th
• Betting Odds CLE -9, IND +314 | CLE -399 O/U 229.5

The Pacers Can Win If…

Indiana improved to 50-32 on the season with a 121-112 road win over the Cavaliers on Sunday. The Pacers, who were +8.5 point underdogs, not only secured the win but also covered the spread. The game’s total of 233 points went just over the pre-game line of 229.

A key moment came when Indiana went on a 10-0 run, turning a 28-25 deficit into a 35-28 lead. After Cleveland fought back in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, the Pacers entered the 4th quarter up 92-90 and closed out the game by outscoring the Cavs 29-22 in the final period.

The Pacers shot 53% from the field and nailed 19 threes at a 52.8% clip in their win over the Cavaliers. Andrew Nembhard led the way with 23 points, hitting 5 threes at 83.3%, while Tyrese Haliburton added 22 points and 13 assists.

Aaron Nesmith contributed 17 points, with 11 coming in the 3rd quarter. Nembhard scored 8 points in the 4th, and Haliburton added 9 in the final period.

Even with a rough 2nd and 3rd quarter, the Pacers’ defense came through in the 4th, allowing just 22 points to help secure the win. They held the Cavaliers to 112 points on 45% shooting.

Indiana’s perimeter defense was strong, limiting Cleveland to 9 threes on 23% shooting. The Pacers also recorded 9 blocks and 6 steals in the game.

• When looking at their past three road matchups, Indiana has an ATS record of 2-1 while averaging 117 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
• In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Pacers have a strong straight up record of 2-1. In addition, their ATS record was 2-1 in these scenarios.
• Over their last five games, the Pacers have an over/under record of 4-1 and are 3-2 vs. the spread.

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The Cavaliers Can Win If…

The Cavaliers fell to 64-18 on the season after a 121-112 home loss to the Pacers on Sunday. Cleveland, favored by 8.5 points, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 233, just over the pre-game line of 229.

Indiana’s 10-0 run early in the game put Cleveland on the back foot. The Cavs battled back, winning the 2nd and 3rd quarters, but entered the 4th quarter down 92-90. The Pacers pulled away in the final period, outscoring Cleveland 29-22.

In their loss to the Pacers, the Cavaliers struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 9 threes at a 23.7% clip. Overall, they shot 45.9% from the field.

Donovan Mitchell led the way with 33 points, scoring 12 in the 3rd quarter. Ty Jerome added 21 points, 8 of which came in the 4th, while Evan Mobley contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds, hitting 69.2% of his shots.

The Cavaliers’ defense struggled against the Pacers, giving up 121 points on 53% shooting. Cleveland allowed 36 points in the 1st quarter but held Indiana to 28 points in both the 2nd and 3rd quarters before conceding 29 in the 4th.

From beyond the arc, the Pacers hit 19 threes at a 52% clip. Cleveland sent Indiana to the line 15 times, where they made 14 free throws. The Cavaliers recorded 30 defensive rebounds, gave up 7 offensive boards, and added 8 steals.

• Across their ten previous home games, Cleveland has an ATS mark of 6-4. Their straight up record in these matchups was 6-4 while averaging 119 points per game.
• The Cavaliers have played well in their last five games as the betting favorite, going 4-1 straight up and 3-2 against the spread.
• In their last five games, the Cavaliers have an over/under record of 5-0 and are 2-3 vs. the spread.

The Lean

We’re calling a win for the Cavaliers, with a final score of 146-129, and we’re taking them to cover the spread. Our recommendation is to bet on the Cavaliers at -9.

Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 229.5 and given that our model is projecting 275 points between the teams, we like the over.

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Cavs Seek Redemption in Game 2 After Disjointed Opener Against Pacers

The Cleveland Cavaliers find themselves down 0-1 in their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Indiana Pacers, after a lackluster Game 1 performance that saw their stars misfire and their home-court advantage slip away. Now, with Game 2 set for Tuesday night in Cleveland, the pressure is on to realign their All-Star trio and respond before the series shifts to Indianapolis.

Misfiring Stars and Injury Woes

Despite putting up 33 points, Donovan Mitchell struggled mightily from deep, hitting just 1 of 11 three-point attempts. Evan Mobley was largely ineffective for long stretches, and Darius Garland—sidelined with a toe injury—was reduced to a spectator. It was a frustrating outing for a Cavaliers team that dominated the Eastern Conference with 64 regular-season wins but now finds itself 1-4 against the Pacers this year.

“It’s one game, yeah we lost home-court advantage, but it’s one game… We’ve got to execute, and I have no doubt we will.”
— Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers Guard

Coach Kenny Atkinson labeled Garland “day-to-day,” but concern looms large. Garland’s absence has been felt over the past three games, and his averages of 20.6 points and 6.7 assists are sorely missed. Atkinson also expressed “real concern” about the availability of both Mobley (ankle) and De’Andre Hunter (thumb) for Game 2, leaving Cleveland’s depth further compromised.

Indiana’s Hot Shooting and Relentless Defense

The Pacers torched the nets in Game 1, shooting 52.8 percent from beyond the arc, going 19-for-36 from deep. Andrew Nembhard, known more for his defense, led the barrage with a surprising 5-for-6 performance from downtown. Aaron Nesmith added 4-of-6, and Bennedict Mathurin chipped in off the bench with 3-of-5.

Nembhard’s value extended beyond scoring as he hounded Mitchell on the perimeter and continued his playoff breakout with averages of 16.3 points and 5.0 assists through six games.

“Drew was just doing what Drew does come playoff time. His lock-in level is unbelievable right now and he’s really the head of the snake for us defensively.”
— Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers Guard

Tyrese Haliburton posted an all-around gem in Game 1 with 22 points, 13 assists, and three blocks. Myles Turner added a double-double and anchored the paint with two blocks and three steals, as Indiana delivered a complete two-way performance.

Cavaliers Look to Reignite the “Cavalanche”

Cleveland will look to draw energy from their home crowd, where they went 34-7 during the regular season and swept Miami in the first round. The now-iconic “Cavalanche” atmosphere—complete with artificial snow—failed to intimidate Indiana in Game 1, as the Pacers jumped to a 36-25 lead after the first quarter and never looked back.

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“We knew this crowd was probably going to be the best crowd we’ve ever been in front of. I thought we did a good job when that ‘Cavalanche’ was on the way.”
— Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers Guard

Whether Garland returns or not, the Cavaliers need more than just crowd noise to flip this series. Improved execution, especially from deep, and better defensive cohesion will be critical in Game 2.

“We wanted to do our best to compete. There was a good energy about it that we can keep bringing the rest of the series.”
— Andrew Nembhard, Pacers Guard