The Pacers kick off the in-season tournament on Friday
by Tony East
The Indiana Pacers host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night for the first-ever NBA In-Season tournament game for both teams. It will be a unique event with new uniforms, a new court, and more.
The Pacers took down the Cavaliers last Friday on the road. Indiana sits at 2-2 while Cleveland is 2-3. It’s an important Central Division game as well — there’s a lot at stake on Friday.
Viewing and Betting Information
Tip off time: 7 p.m. Eastern Time
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Where to watch: NBA League Pass, Bally Sports Indiana, Bally Sports+, Bally Sports Ohio
Spread and Over/Under: The Pacers are underdogs as they are currently +2.5 in the SI Sportsbook. The over/under for the game is 224.5.
Pacers vs Cavaliers Injury Report
For the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton (right ankle) and Jalen Smith (left knee) are questionable. They both missed the Pacers game on Wednesday in Boston.
Indiana’s two-way contract players — Oscar Tshiebwe, Kendall Brown, and Isaiah Wong — are all listed as questionable due to their contract status. They began training camp in the G League this week.
For the Cavaliers, All-Stars Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland are questionable. Ty Jerome and Ricky Rubio are out.
Key Matchup
Bennedict Mathurin vs Donovan Mitchell: Without two stars available for much of the season, Mitchell is averaging 31.5 points per game for the Cavs. He’s had to do a ton for them and will be a tough cover for the Pacers.
Mathurin, who is in an important season, will sometimes have the task of slowing him down. The second-year guard has been mostly solid on defense on the ball this season, and he will need to repeat that tonight while still finding ways to score.
Originally posted on All Pacers on FanNation