The surprising Cleveland Cavaliers will face the solid Indiana Pacers in what should be a very entertaining affair Monday night inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. 

Bookmaker has installed the Pacers as a firm - 7.5 point favorite. 

The Cavaliers (42-25) have easily been one of the most talked about teams this season, and for good reason. They have a ton of talent on their roster, and after some lousy and uninspiring seasons of play, they look like a serious contender for the Eastern Conference. 

Cleveland is just 3-4 in their last seven, and at this moment, they have yet to be playing their best basketball of the season. But they know a win against a very talented Pacers team can give me the confidence and jolt they need to get a run going. On offense, several players can pump in the points, including veteran shooting guard Donovan Mitchell, who is averaging around 27 points per game, while Darius Garland is contributing 18 from the guard spot. 

Both have the ability to take over games, and neither of them is shy about taking the big shot late in games. Mitchell has dominated the Pacers in his career, torching them for 38 points per game, and look for him to continue that trend Monday night. 

The Pacers (38-30) have not had the type of season that Cleveland has had, but they have won three out of four and four out of their last five, including a defeat over the Brooklyn Nets, 121-100, in a game they quickly covered a five-point favorite. 

They also have some serious talent, but their issues could be more consistency on both ends of the floor. They scored 129 against the Chicago Bulls but gave up 132, and their defense was a no-show in the fourth quarter.

If they put that type of effort on the floor Monday night, they will get blown out. They need to do a better job of protecting the paint and rebounding. On offense, they will try to get the veteran Pascal Siakam the ball down low or let him get buckets in transition. He can also create his shot, which has proven to be a solid trade deadline move for the Pacers, averaging 123 points per game. They must score at least 125-130 in this one to cover and win. 

They will also love to push the pace and try to force Cleveland to match their intensity on the offensive end. 

The Pacers are just 3-2 in their last five games and 18-15 in their road games against the spread this season. The totals have gone over in just one out of their previous five games and 21 out of their last 35 contests at home. As for Cleveland, the Cavaliers are 2-3 in their previous five games and 3-2 in their last five games against the number. They are 16-15 in their road games against the spread. They are also 33-32-1 overall against the spread this season.