Thursday’s NBA tips and best bets feature two games from the Eastern Conference, including the red-hot Boston Celtics taking on the Detroit Pistons.
Indiana Pacers vs Toronto Raptors
10:10am, Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Not a great spot for the Raptors, who come off a brutal 10-point loss to the Celtics at home last night. The short rest and the travel are two reasons to back against them, alongside their growing injury concerns with Brandon Ingram and Jakob Poetl both out. The Pacers haven’t been a great bet at the line over the last two weeks, but with a couple of double digit wins over the Grizzlies and Clippers recently, a double digit win isn’t out of the question.
Tip: Back the Pacers to Cover the Line (-9.5 Points)
Detroit Pistons vs Boston Celtics
10:10am, Little Caesars Arena
The Celtics head to the Motor City looking to extend their winning streak to seven against the Pistons. Boston picked apart Toronto last night for a comfortable win, which was also the case when they beat the Pistons by 24 points in late December. You have to rewind all the way back to 2022 to find Detroit’s last win over Boston, the Celtics having covered in eight of their last 10 against J.B. Bickerstaff’s side.
Tip: Back the Celtics to Cover the Line (-3.5 Points)