The Indiana Pacers continue their run through the 2024 NBA Playoffs with a spot in the Eastern Conference finals for the time since 2014. They'll face the Boston Celtics, who will have a rest advantage after closing out the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games.
It's not just the rest that gives the Celtics the advantage in this series. The Celtics have outscored opponents by a combined 114 points during the playoffs despite playing just 10 games through two rounds. Sportsbooks have baked that dominance into their series price for the Eastern Conference finals.
The Celtics are listed as -1200 favorites to win their series against the Pacers, which is the third-highest price for a favorite in a Conference finals series matchup since 1988, according to data from Sports Odds History.
Biggest Series Favorites Entering Conference Finals (Since 1988)
| Team | Opponent | Odds | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 Chicago Bulls | Miami Heat | -1700 | Bulls Won 4-1 |
| 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers | Toronto Raptors | -1350 | Cavs Won 4-2 |
| 2024 Boston Celtics | Indiana Pacers | -1200 | ? |
| 2017 Golden State Warriors | San Antonio Spurs | -1050 | Warriors Won 4-0 |
The Celtics are -900 at DraftKings, and even at that price, they would still be fourth on the list of massive favorites entering a Conference Finals series. The three other teams listed at -1000 or shorter in a Conference finals series won the series and the NBA championship that same season.
The Pacers have been overcoming long odds all playoffs. As the No. 6 seed, they opened their series against the Milwaukee Bucks as +260 underdogs, then beat the hobbled Bucks in six games. Against the shorthanded Knicks, the Pacers opened as +200 underdogs, and their odds were as long as +300 after falling behind down 0-2.
Game 1 will be an opportunity to see if the Pacers can ride their Game 7 momentum into Game 1 of the next series. Teams coming off a seven-game series are 33-55 (37.5%) in Game 1 of the following series since 1988 (h/t Raheem Palmer). Oddsmakers across the market opened Game 1 of Pacers vs Celtics at double digits before dropping the line down to a 9-point spread.
