The NBA Eastern Conference first-round matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers has had the intensity of a roller-coaster thrill ride so far during its first four games.
The Cavs squared the series at 2-2 on Sunday with a pulse-pounding 104-100 road win that went right down to the wire. Now, the Pacers will look to steal home-court advantage for a second time when they tip off Wednesday against the Cavaliers at 7 p.m. ET.
Cleveland opened as a 6.5-point favorite, and now is laying six. The over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, has ticked down to 204.5 from an opening of 205.
Before picking either side to this important contest, you need to read what SportsLine hoops expert Larry Hartstein, who's nailed 75 percent of his most recent NBA picks, has to say.
Hartstein, who has a strong analytical background, has examined every matchup, every player and every trend for Pacers-Cavaliers and locked in his pick. We can tell you he's expecting a high-scoring affair and is leaning toward the over. He also has a strong point-spread pick you can get only over at SportsLine.
On Tuesday, Hartstein confidently backed the 76ers as a 10-point favorite in their Game 5 matchup versus the Heat, noting how Philadelphia would want to close out the series in style at home after taking Games 3 and 4 in Miami. The result? J.J. Redick poured in 27 points, including five 3-pointers in Philly's 104-91 win, allowing Hartstein to cover the spread!
Indiana is 6-0 against the spread in its last six games following a straight-up loss, and the under has cashed in each of Cleveland's previous five contests.
If the Pacers expect to win -- or at least cover the spread -- they're going to need another stellar performance by Thaddeus Young. On Sunday, the power forward hauled in 16 rebounds, scored 12 points and frustrated Kevin Love into a woeful 2-for-10 shooting performance. Young also has racked up three steals in each of the previous three games and has tallied six blocked shots in the series. His veteran experience has been a calming influence on the hardwood among his young teammates.
The Cavaliers will cover if Cleveland can knock down three-balls at a stronger clip than Game 4's. Cleveland was 12-for-35 from 3-point range on Sunday and clanked plenty of open looks from beyond the arc. With the Pacers packing the paint, they limited the Cavs to eight offensive boards. James was 0-for-5 from deep while J.R. Smith and Kyle Korver picked up the slack, each swishing four 3-pointers.
Will the Cavaliers take a commanding 3-2 series lead at home in front of their frenzied fans, or do the Pacers steal a second road win and go back home with a chance to close it out in six? Harstein has identified an X Factor in this matchup and locked in his strong pick.
So what side of Indiana-Cleveland do you need to be all over on Wednesday? Visit SportsLine now see the strong point-spread pick by Hartstein, and what the x-factor for this matchup will be, all from a dialed-in expert who's nailed 75 percent of his most recent NBA picks.
