The Indiana Pacers (18-61) and Brooklyn Nets (20-59) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The game will broadcast live on YES.
The Pacers are 3.5-point favorites over the Nets on the spread (Pacers -3.5), with the over/under set at 224.5 total points. Indiana is a -166 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Brooklyn is +140 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Pacers vs. Nets predictions and NBA picks for Thursday, April 9.
Pacers vs Nets Prediction, Pick
- Pacers vs Nets pick: Pacers -3 (-120)
My Nets vs. Pacers best bet is on Indiana to cover the spread. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Pacers vs Nets Odds
| Pacers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -114 | 224.5 -110o / -110u | -166 |
| Nets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -106 | 224.5 -110o / -110u | +140 |
Pacers vs Nets NBA Preview
When you look at this matchup between the Pacers and the Nets, it all comes down to one word: incentive.
This is a spot where the Pacers have zero incentive to lose. There is a common misconception that losing helps their draft stock, but the reality is that the further their pick falls, it doesn't even help them — it just goes to the Clippers.
Because of that trade, the final standing of the Pacers' draft pick is irrelevant to their front office. On the other hand, the Nets are in a very different boat.
The Nets currently have 20 wins, while other teams like the Kings and Jazz sit at 21. If Brooklyn beats Indiana tomorrow and ends up with 21 wins, we start getting into messy tie-breakers.
For the Nets, the clearest path to locking in the third-worst record in the league is to keep losing. Because of the flattened lottery odds, the teams with the first, second, and third-worst records all share the same 14% chance at the number one overall pick.
But, the real key is the floor: if you have the third-worst record, the furthest you can fall is the seventh pick. If you slip to fourth, that floor drops to eighth.
Since the Nets own their pick this year — but notably do not own it next year — they are going to prioritize this year’s draft position above all else.
I'm expecting some lineup shenanigans from Brooklyn in this spot. Jordy Fernandez is safe in his job, so he can afford to prioritize the lottery.
Meanwhile, Rick Carlisle seems to have noticed that his Pacers squad wants to end the season on a high note. They’ve actually won a few games recently after that brutal 15-game losing streak after the All-Star break.
Pacers vs Nets Predictions, Betting Analysis
I know it feels gross to back the Pacers as road favorites, especially when you look at the injury report and see no Pascal Siakam, no Aaron Nesmith, and no Andrew Nembhard.
Even without those top-tier players, the Pacers will still field a much more competitive lineup than Brooklyn. They are going to play their important guys down the stretch in the fourth quarter and try to win the game, perhaps hoping for some good juju heading into the lottery.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this line moves toward Pacers -5 by tipoff. Depending on how this line shakes out, I might actually like the moneyline more than the spread here because the Nets' priority is a pure loss, not just keeping it close.
I love the Pacers in this spot.
Pick: Pacers -3 (-120)
