Indiana Pacers vs Brooklyn Nets Picks and Predictions March 20th 2025

Indiana Pacers vs Brooklyn Nets March 20th 2025

At 7:00 ET, the Pacers (-379) will host the Nets (+299) in an Eastern Conference matchup. Indiana (39-29) is favored by 9 and has won two straight games. Brooklyn (23-46) is 12th in the East and 4th in the Atlantic.

This game will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The over/under line is 226 and the game can be seen on NBA TV.

Nets vs. Pacers Key Information

• Sport: NBA
• Teams: Brooklyn Nets at Indiana Pacers
• Where: Indianapolis at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
• Date: Thursday, March 20th
• Betting Odds IND -9, BKN +299 | IND -379 O/U 226

The Nets Can Win If…

Brooklyn’s season record dropped to 23-46 after a 104-96 road loss to the Celtics on Tuesday. The Nets were +13.5 point underdogs but managed to keep the game closer than expected. The total points for the game were 200, falling short of the 212-point line.

Brooklyn led 26-21 after the 1st quarter and played the 2nd quarter evenly, with both teams scoring 23 points. The Celtics gained an edge in the 3rd quarter, outscoring the Nets 27-21. Heading into the 4th quarter down 71-70, the Nets couldn’t keep up, as Boston pulled away with a 33-26 advantage in the final period.

In their 96-point effort against the Celtics, the Nets struggled offensively, shooting just 40.9% from the field and 28.9% from three-point range. D’Angelo Russell led the way with 18 points, 7 assists, and 4 made threes, despite shooting 33.3% overall and 30.8% from deep.

Ziaire Williams added 15 points, hitting 3 threes at a 42.9% clip, while Keon Johnson contributed 13 points, also making 3 threes and shooting 50% from beyond the arc. The Nets connected on 13 threes as a team, an average performance, but their overall shooting woes contributed to the loss.

Defensively, the Nets held the Celtics to 104 points, but a 33-point 4th quarter from Boston was too much to overcome. Brooklyn limited the Celtics to 21 points in the 1st quarter and 23 in the 2nd, but they gave up 27 in the 3rd before the 4th quarter struggles.

The Nets did a solid job defending the three, allowing Boston to hit 16 threes at a 33% clip. Brooklyn also sent the Celtics to the line 22 times, where they made 18 free throws. The Nets grabbed 31 defensive rebounds, allowed 6 offensive boards, and recorded 9 steals.

• Across the Nets last ten road games, the team averaged 103 points per game while allowing 106. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 5-5, while going 3-7 straight-up.
• Looking back on the team’s last five games as the underdog, the Nets have a straight up record of 1-4. Their record vs the spread in these games was 4-1.
• Over their last three games, the Nets have an over/under record of 2-1 and are 3-0 vs. the spread.

Free NBA Picks & Betting Analysis! – Discover the best bets for tonight’s games.

The Pacers Can Win If…

Indiana improved to 39-29 on the season with a 135-131 win over the Mavericks on Wednesday. The Pacers were favored by 10.5 points at home but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 266.5 exceeded the over/under line of 227.5 by 38.5 points.

Indiana jumped out to a 33-21 lead after the 1st quarter, but Dallas fought back, outscoring the Pacers 34-22 in the 3rd. Indiana entered the 4th quarter trailing 91-90 but rallied with a 45-point final quarter to secure the win.

In their win over the Mavericks, the Pacers shot 54.9% from the field and hit 16 threes at a 45.7% clip. Pascal Siakam led the way with 29 points, shooting 68.8% and hitting 3 threes at 75% efficiency.

Bennedict Mathurin added 23 points, with 16 coming in the 4th quarter. Andrew Nembhard contributed 22 points, scoring 8 in the final period.

Despite a strong defensive start, the Pacers struggled to contain the Mavericks after the 1st quarter, allowing 36 points in the 2nd, 34 in the 3rd, and 40 in the 4th. Indiana gave up 131 points on 54% shooting but still managed to secure the win.

From beyond the arc, the Pacers limited Dallas to 11 threes on 40% shooting. Indiana also sent the Mavericks to the line 32 times, where they hit 24 free throws. The Pacers finished with 32 defensive rebounds, 4 steals, and 5 blocks.

• In their last ten games at home, the Pacers have a straight up record of 4-6 while going 2-8 vs. the spread. The team averaged 119 points per game in this stretch.
• Through their previous five contests as the betting favorite, the Pacers have a strong record of 3-2. Their record vs the spread in these matchups is 0-4-1.
• In their last five games, the Pacers have an over/under record of 1-4 and are 3-1-1 vs. the spread.

The Lean

We’re putting our money on the Pacers to win, and have the projected score sitting at 132-96. We also like them to cover the spread, so our recommendation is to bet on the Pacers at -9.

As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 226, and our model projects the Nets and Pacers to reach a combined total of 228 points. Our bet is on taking the over.

Next-Level NBA Betting

Get the Best Predictions

Get Free Trial

Inconsistent Pacers Open Two-Game Set vs. Skidding Nets

The Brooklyn Nets (23-46) head to Indianapolis on Thursday night to face the playoff-bound Indiana Pacers (39-29) in the first of a back-to-back set. The Nets are desperate for a win, having lost 11 of their last 13 games and effectively slipping out of contention for a play-in spot.

Brooklyn’s most recent outing was a disappointing 104-96 road loss to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday. Despite Boston resting stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Nets failed to capitalize. Their lone bright spot over the past month came with a 122-114 victory against Atlanta on Sunday, marking just their second win since February 22.

Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez found some positives to take from the Boston game, mainly in the areas of defense and rebounding.

“Boston is playing for different goals and they have different goals, but it’s just another game,” Fernandez said. “Now going into a doubleheader with Indiana and that’s going to be a different team, so you just have to move on to the next one. Obviously, we want to learn from what we did (Tuesday). The physicality and the defense we brought in, the rebounding against a bigger team. Keep the positives, try to clean up the negatives, find those 3-point shooters.”

D’Angelo Russell led Brooklyn with 18 points and seven assists against the Celtics, continuing to show value since being acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers in December. Russell is averaging 13.5 points and 5.8 assists per game since joining the Nets.

Cameron Johnson, who scored 11 points on Tuesday, will be given a rest on Thursday, leaving the Nets with a thinner rotation as they try to rediscover their form.

Pacers Riding Momentum After Narrow Win

The Indiana Pacers enter Thursday’s matchup riding high after a thrilling 135-131 home win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. The win lifted them one game ahead of both the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons in the tight race for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Bennedict Mathurin was the hero of the night, scoring 16 of his 23 points in the final six minutes. Andrew Nembhard hit a go-ahead three-pointer with just 14.7 seconds left, and the Pacers sealed the win by converting all four of their free throws down the stretch.

“Our guys just hung in,” said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. “These games coming up are all going to be like this. These teams coming in here are attacking teams and you’ve got to take the fight to them.”

Carlisle admitted that the Pacers’ inconsistency has been an issue, as they led Dallas by 16 in the first half only to lose the lead before storming back to secure the victory.

“You can’t make a living with this kind of inconsistency,” Carlisle said.

Leading scorer Pascal Siakam, who averages 20.8 points per game, delivered a steady performance against Dallas with 24 points. Indiana has won four of its last five games and will look to continue its surge toward a strong playoff position.

Key Matchup: Russell vs. Mathurin

With Cameron Johnson out, D’Angelo Russell will need to take on a bigger scoring and playmaking role for Brooklyn. Meanwhile, Mathurin will look to carry his late-game heroics from Wednesday into Thursday’s matchup.

Live NBA Scores & Betting Odds! – Track every game in real-time.

Betting Insights and Playoff Picture

• The Nets are looking to stop their skid and build some momentum, but they remain on the outside looking in for the play-in tournament.
• The Pacers are in a tight race for the fifth seed and are hoping to take advantage of Brooklyn’s recent struggles.
• Indiana is favored to win at home, especially with the Nets shorthanded and struggling to find consistency.
• For expert betting tips and the latest game odds, visit our pick page and odds page for analysis and predictions.

Final Thoughts

The Nets need to rediscover their offensive rhythm and tighten up their defense if they hope to steal a win against a resilient Pacers squad. Meanwhile, Indiana is eyeing another victory to solidify their playoff positioning and prove they can overcome inconsistency.

Can the Nets surprise the Pacers on the road, or will Indiana’s momentum carry them through? Stay tuned as both teams battle for critical late-season wins.