The Indiana Pacers (2-1) will compete against the Boston Celtics (3-0) at the Garden for a fierce NBA matchup. For this betting opportunity, the Celtics are favorites to win with a point spread of -11.5 (-110).

The Pacers just suffered their first defeat of the season. This was a 112-105 outing against the Chicago Bulls, which fell apart in the fourth quarter with a 34-22 showing.

Despite a recent defeat, they are still second in the Eastern Conference behind the Celtics. A strong win against them would give them the confidence they need and a chance to move up.

Their offense has flourished well so far, despite their last game. They average 124.3 points per game, which comes in at third in the league rankings. Against another strong defense, they will have to be creative in finding better scoring opportunities.

Defensively they need to find more consistency. They are currently allowing teams to average 115.0 points a game, which ranks 19^th in the league. Stepping up their defense will be crucial against the Celtics. 

The Celtics are gliding into this game with three wins without a loss. Their previous success was a 126-107 win over the Washington Wizards, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading the offense with 69 combined points.

They are starting off strong and look to be in good shape for another championship run. Assuming they stay healthy, they will have a good shot to win each game.

They rank eighth in the league with 117.7 points per game. Their offensive rating as a whole is also sixth, making them an efficient offensive unit. It also helps having Tatum in the lineup, as he is averaging 29.7 points per game and ranking seventh among other players in the NBA.

On defense, they give up 107.3 points per game. This ranks 10^th in the league, making them also a threat on defense for teams so far. Overall, they have been consistent when performing on both ends of the floor.

MyBookie has the latest point spread odds available, with the Boston Celtics moderately favored to win. Both teams have had success lately, making this a competitive game. Market analysis shows that the Celtics have an 81.4 percent chance at victory.

The Pacers are appealing at first, but their defense might give up too many points against an efficient offensive output by the Celtics. Look for the Celtics to win by a good margin.