Can the Underdog Pacers Shock the Cavaliers? Expert Predictions and Winning Bets for Game 5 Revealed!

Here we are, folks — Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals is locked and loaded, and the Indiana Pacers are heading into Rocket Arena in Cleveland with a rare chance to close things out against the Cavaliers. That 3-1 lead isn’t just numbers on the board; it’s a statement after Indiana laid down a staggering 41-point halftime gap in Game 4 before easing off the gas. Talk about a clinic. Still, the storyline gets intricate — Cleveland’s star, Donovan Mitchell, is hanging in the balance with an ankle injury, throwing a wrench into the Cavs’ comeback hopes. With Darius Garland stepping up but the rest of the lineup limited in minutes, the pressure’s on. Both teams come in with solid but contrasting recent performances — the Pacers’ road game resume is even-steven, while the Cavs have flexed strong at home lately. So, what’s next? We’ve dug deep into the numbers, the odds, and the subtle nuances — plus added our expert takes and model-driven picks, so you’re armed way beyond the surface. Buckle up for the full breakdown on everything you need to know, including where and how to watch, and some bets to keep an eye on. You definitely don’t want to skip this. LEARN MORE

The Pacers are currently 20-20 on the road with a point differential of 2, while the Cavaliers have a 7-3 record in their last ten games at home. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Indiana is up 3-1 in the series after winning Game 4, 129-109. The Pacers were up by an NBA playoff record 41 points at halftime (80-39) before sitting the starters for most of the second half. Three different Pacers scored 20-plus points and seven different players scored double-figures.Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Game details & how to watch Pacers vs. Cavaliers live today

• Date: Tuesday, May 13, 2025
• Time: 7:00 PM EST
• Site: Rocket Arena
• City: Cleveland, OH
• Network/Streaming: TNT / TruTV / Max

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Game odds for Pacers vs. Cavaliers

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

• Odds: Pacers (+246), Cavaliers (-306)
• Spread: Cavaliers -7.5
• Over/Under: 229 points

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!“After two straight Unders on his points prop. this may be a good spot to back the Over for Tyrese Haliburton. In Games 3 and 4, Haliburton scored 4 and 11 points compared to 22 and 19 in Games 1 and 2, so this is a buy-low spot as the Pacers head to Cleveland for a close-out. Haliburton has been clutch this series and postseason, so I expect a higher usage rate in a competitive game, leading to a good bet for the Over 17.5 points.

Expert picks & predictions for Tuesday’s Pacers vs. Cavaliers game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes Tyrese Haliburton Over 17.5 Points, plus leans the Game Under and the Pacers spread:

– Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
– Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
– Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
– Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!That gives the Pacers an implied team point total of 112.92, and the Cavaliers 116.83.Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Pacers & Cavaliers game:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Indiana Pacers on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Indiana Pacers at +9.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 231.

Games 5, 6, and 7 Game Total Unders in the second round and on are normally the best bets for a side or total and I tend to lean that way here. Indiana has taken advantage of an injured Cavs team all series long and with Mitchell questionable, I don’t see why that doesn’t happen again. With or without Mirchell, I think the points will be hard to come by tonight for Cleveland, so I lean the Pacers and the game Under.”

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Pacers vs. Cavaliers on Tuesday

• The Pacers are on a 4-game win streak at the Cavaliers
• The Over is 4-1 in the Pacers’ last 5 divisional matchups
• The Cavaliers have covered in 11 of their 19 divisional matchups this season
• The Pacers have won 4 of 5 games at divisional opponents

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.The good news for the Cavaliers is that the series is back in Cleveland, but the bad news is they could be without their star and leading scorer, Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell is questionable for Game 5 after injuring his ankle and missing the second half. Darius Garland led the way with 21 points for Cleveland as no starter played more than 27 minutes.It’s Tuesday, May 13, and the Indiana Pacers (50-32) and Cleveland Cavaliers (64-18) are all set to square off from Rocket Arena in Cleveland for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.