Pacers Begin Tough Week at Home Vs. Orlando Magic

The Indiana Pacers have been one of the early surprises in the NBA this season and will try to prove themselves against some of the Eastern Conference’s elite teams this week, starting on Tuesday when they host the Orlando Magic at 7:00 p.m. (ET).

The Pacers have won seven of their last nine games and return home after taking two straight on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers (98-96) and Golden State Warriors (94-91). Indiana has a very difficult week ahead though, facing the Magic twice, including once more away from home to cap a three-game road trip that includes visits to the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics beforehand.

Indiana and Orlando have not not met since last season when the Pacers suffered a 92-74 home loss on April 13.  They are 5-0 at home this year with a 4-1 mark against the spread.

The Magic will be coming off a road game against the Celtics on Monday, one of two meetings with them within four days.  Boston has won two of three against a couple of the worst teams in the East, topping the Washington Wizards 100-94 on Sunday despite playing without point guard Rajon Rondo for the second straight game.

Rondo is dealing with a right wrist injury but an MRI came back negative, so he could be available for the Celts this week.

Another Eastern Conference matchup on Tuesday that will be much less appealing than last season has the Miami Heat hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m.  The Heat did not have an easy time with the Cavaliers last year, LeBron James' first after leaving Cleveland for South Beach, covering the spread in two of the four meetings and favored by double digits in each of the last three.  In fact, Cleveland pulled off a 102-90 upset of Miami in the last meeting as 13½-point home underdogs.

The Cavs have struggled mightily during a three-game losing streak that has seen them blown out by an average of more than 25 points.  Fortunately, they will have a couple days off in between games before they visit the Heat, who saw their three-game winning streak come to an end with a 91-82 home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.

Miami has been playing without All-Star shooting guard Dwyane Wade for four straight games due to an ankle injury.

The three other games on Tuesday’s slate include the New York Knicks visiting the Charlotte Bobcats at 7:00 p.m., the Phoenix Suns hosting the Toronto Raptors at 9:00 p.m. and the Portland Trail Blazers meeting the Memphis Grizzlies at 10:00 p.m.

New York will be trying to end a season-high six-game losing streak against a Charlotte team that has dropped 10 of 11.  The Bobcats have covered the last three meetings with New York, winning two of them straight up.

Toronto has eight in a row and play a Phoenix team that had won two straight heading into Monday following a five-game losing streak.

The Grizzlies were riding a season-high six-game winning streak into Portland on Monday and will be playing on back-to-back nights while the Blazers are back at home for the second of two games after going 2-4 both SU and ATS on a recently completed six-game road trip.