Category: Basketball

Two teams at opposite ends of the standings meet tonight in Indianapolis when Payton Pritchard and the Celtics (24-14) take on Pascal Siakam and the Pacers (8-31).

Boston sits just ½ game behind the Knicks in the Atlantic Division while the Pacers languish in last in the Central, 20.5 games behind the Pistons. The success of the Celtics has been a surprise considering Jayson Tatum (Achilles) remains sidelined, but Jaylen Brown’s play has elevated him to the fringe of MVP consideration. Some may argue Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles)should garner some MVP attention as well. The Pacers’ point guard has not played this season, but his value to Indiana has never been more obvious. He has been sidelined since last season’s NBA Finals and without him, as their record indicates, the Pacers have been dreadful.

All that said, Brown (back) is likely out tonight which obviously changes the handicap and puts more of the onus on offense on Derrick White and Payton Pritchard. With that in mind, lets take a closer look at the matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including thelatest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Celtics vs. Pacers

• Date: Monday, January 12, 2026
• Time: 7:30PM EST
• Site: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
• City: Indianapolis, IN
• Network/Streaming: Peacock

Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Game odds for the Celtics at the Pacers

The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:

• Moneyline: Boston Celtics (-230), Indiana Pacers (+190)
• Spread:  Celtics -5.5
• Total: 226.5 points

This game opened Celtics -6.5 with the Total set at 224.5.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule! 

Expected Starting Lineups

Celtics

• PG Payton Pritchard
• SG Derrick White
• SF Hugo Gonzalez
• PF Sam Hauser
• C Neemias Queta

Pacers

• PG Andrew Nembhard
• SG Johnny Furphy
• PF Aaron Nesmith
• PF Pascal Siakam
• C Jay Huff

Important stats, trends and insights: Celtics at Pacers

• Boston has won 8 of their last 10 outright against Indiana but the Pacers are 7-3 ATS in those 10 games
• The OVER has cashed in 8 of the last 10 games between the Celtics and the Pacers
• The Celtics are 12-7 on the Moneyline on the road this season
• The Celtics are 20-18 ATS this season
• The OVER has cashed in 17 of the Celtics’ 38 games this season
• The Pacers are 6-15 at home on the Moneyline this season
• The Pacers are 20-19 ATS this season
• The OVER has cashed in 14 of the Pacers’ 40 games this season

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
 

Jay Croucher’s (@croucherJD) Favorite Plays: Payton Pritchard OVER 6.5 Assists AND Derrick White OVER 3.5 3-Pointers

"I don't really understand how it's even possible, but Boston has had the league's #1 offense for 2 months now, and Payton Pritchard's growth as a playmaker is a key reason why. Jaylen Brown is out tonight, and with Brown off the floor Pritchard averages 7.6 assists per 36 minutes. I expect him to hit the over tonight.

Who are those assists going to? How about Derrick White. I'm taking White to make at least 4 threes tonight. White attempted 17 threes last game - that's a lot - and his usage climbs from 21% to 32% without Jaylen Brown, so I expect him to ramp up his scoring as Boston's #1 option tonight.

You can check out my plays for tonight’s games by searching “Peacock” on the DraftKings Sportsbook App."

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
 
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Celtics & Pacers game:

• Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
• Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Pacers -5.5
• Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 226.5

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar! 

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: 
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) 
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) 
- Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick) 

With the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline coming fast, so do the NBA trade rumors. Here are some of the latest.

Ja Morant

Check out our much longer post from yesterday detailing things on Ja Morant, including potential landing spots (spoiler alert: there aren't many), but here are two quick updates.

• The Grizzlies are looking to get a first-round pick back for Morant in any trade, reports Marc Stein at The Stein Line. That may not be available — Trae Young was just traded in a salary dump that saw no picks on the move. While Memphis is expected to get a slightly larger return for Morant than Atlanta got for Young, a first may be too much to ask.

• To that end, on Monday’s Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN's Tim MacMahon, who has been following this trade talk closely, said "the feedback we got on Ja wasn't any more favorable than the feedback that we got on Trae."

Anthony Davis

This was pretty obvious as the news broke, but league sources confirmed to NBC Sports that Anthony Davis’ hand injury has ended any chance he will be traded before the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.

He may not have been traded even if healthy, there was a limited market for the 10-time All-Star (due to concerns about availability and his salary of $54.1 million this season, $58.5 million next season, and he has a $62.8 million player option in 2027-28, plus he wants an extension).

Consider the Anthony Davis trade talks tabled until the offseason.

Hawks interested in Gafford

Atlanta had been chasing Anthony Davis harder than anyone else, but with Davis' injury putting that pursuit to bed, the Hawks are now interested in another Dallas big man: Daniel Gafford.

Gafford is not the talent Davis is, but he is rock solid in the paint and the price to get him is considerably less than AD, meaning the Hawks don't have to put Zaccharie Risacher in any deal, notes Marc Stein at The Stein Line.

Both the Boston Celtics (looking to solidify their front line) and the Indiana Pacers (looking ahead to next season) are also showing interest in Gafford, Stein adds. Speaking of Boston…

Celtics searching for big

One of the key reasons this was expected to be a gap year for the Celtics was at the five: Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis were traded away, and Neemias Queta was being thrown into the fire. Turns out, Queta was ready for the heat, averaging 10 points per game on 65.1% shooting, grabbing 8.1 rebounds a game and being a plus defender.

With Boston now sitting as the No. 2 seed in the East and the return of Jayson Tatum on the horizon, this is no gap year in Boston — they could be a legitimate threat to come out of the East — and with that they are looking to add a big man, reports our own Chris Mannix.

Michael Porter Jr.

We noted it in the last of these roundups, but it bears repeating: Brooklyn's Michael Porter Jr. is the player most likely to be traded before the deadline.

One league source told John Hollinger of The Athletic that it’s a “lock” the Nets will trade Porter.

Give an all-he-can-eat buffet of shots in Brooklyn (something he never had in Denver), Porter is averaging a career-high 25.9 points per game. He can help a playoff team looking for scoring and floor-spacing shooting. The question now is, can Brooklyn start a bidding war to up its return in this trade?

Domantas Sabonis

Sabonis has been linked to Toronto, but the Kings "are not interested in taking back the contracts of either Immanuel Quickley or Jakob Poeltl," reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line. In that case, it's tough to put together a deal that works.

Knicks shopping Yabusele, Dadiet

We all heard James Dolan loud and clear: These Knicks think they have all the talent they need to make the Finals and win it this season. Which is why any trade they make at the deadline will be more around the edges of the team, not to its core.

With that, the Knicks are checking the market for backup big Guerschon Yabusele and guard Pacôme Dadiet, reports Marc Stein at The Stein Line. How much of a market there is for either of them remains to be seen, but don't be shocked if the Knicks make some moves on the fringes.

Three major pieces of news were announced over the last week, and both carry major fantasy ramifications.

Trae Young was dealt to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. It’s unclear when or if he’ll take the court for Washington this season, and young guys like Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly and Bub Carrington should see extended run for the foreseeable future.

Anthony Davis sustained ligament damage in his left hand in Thursday’s loss to the Utah Jazz, and according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, he could miss multiple months. With Dereck Lively II done for the season and Daniel Gafford injury-prone, guys like Naji Marshall and Moussa Cisse are in line for expanded roles.

Ja Morant is also on the trade block, which means significant run for another Grizzlies point guard who’s been offering strong production as a starter.

Wizards, Mavericks and Grizzlies find their way into this week’s column, but there are a number of other quality options to consider. Here are the top fantasy basketball waiver wire adds for Week 13.

→ Watch an NBA doubleheader on Peacock on Monday night, as the Celtics take on the Pacers at 7:30 p.m. ET before the Lakers square off against the Kings at 10 p.m. ET!

Priority Adds

1. Collin Murray-Boyles
2. Peyton Watson
3. Ayo Dosunmu
4. Cam Spencer
5. Bilal Coulibaly
6. Egor Dëmin
7. Naji Marshall
8. Toumani Camara
9. Mitchell Robinson
10. Keldon Johnson
11. De’Anthony Melton
12. Day’Ron Sharpe

Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers (42 percent rostered)

Camara has been excellent on both ends of the court, and he’s averaged 16.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.8 blocks and 2.5 swats across his last four appearances while logging just over 38 minutes per tilt. He’s ranked just outside the fifth round in per-game fantasy value in that span, and he should continue to see big minutes until Kris Murray and/or Jerami Grant return. Caleb Love has been a strong source of points and triples with Murray and Grant out of action, and he’s worth a look too, especially if you need help in those categories.

Peyton Watson, Denver Nuggets (37 percent rostered)

Watson was enjoying a breakout campaign before injuries decimated Denver’s rotation, but the additional run he’s been afforded has only accelerated his growth. In six games prior to Sunday, he averaged 24.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.3 triples while scoring 20 points in each contest. Watson’s streak of 20-point games was snapped on Sunday, but he contributed a 19/8/6 line with a pair of blocks and four triples. Over the last month, he ranks just outside the top 100 in per-game fantasy value, and over the last week, he’s been a top-50 guy. It’s absurd that he’s still available in more than 60% of Yahoo! leagues.

Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards (27 percent rostered)

Coulibaly has played and started 11 straight games, posting averages of 12.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.0 blocks and 1.2 triples across 27.8 minutes. His work on the defensive end is particularly valuable to fantasy managers, and his role should only continue to grow with CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert gone. Khris Middleton is unlikely to stay with Washington beyond the trade deadline, setting the stage for Coulibaly to see even more playing time down the stretch. Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington are also candidates for increased run, especially if Trae Young remains sidelined.

Ayo Dosunmu, Chicago Bulls (26 percent rostered)

Josh Giddey still doesn’t have a clear timeline to return, and Dosunmu has been huge in his absence. Tre Jones and Kevin Huerter have stepped up to fill the void, but Dosunmu has been electric off the bench, with averages of 18.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.4 blocked shots and 2.8 triples across 26.8 minutes over his last five outings. Dosunmu is a first-rounder in per-game fantasy value over the last week, yet he’s widely available on the waiver wire, making him quite the attractive target.

Cam Spencer, Memphis Grizzlies (24 percent rostered)

The NBA Trade Deadline is just over three weeks away, and Ja Morant is on the block. With news that the Grizzlies will entertain trade offers for their superstar point guard and Morant currently on the shelf with a calf injury, we may have seen the last of him in a Memphis uniform. Spencer has been the most productive fill-in for Morant, and the UConn product may become a permanent fixture in the starting lineup. Over his last four outings, Spencer has averaged 13.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.3 triples across 29.2 minutes while posting fifth-round fantasy value.

Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs (24 percent rostered)

Johnson has been a great spark off of San Antonio’s bench, offering efficient microwave scoring and solid rebounding. Over his last four games, he’s scored 18.3 points and knocked down 2.3 triples per game while shooting 57.4% from the floor and 90.9% from the charity stripe. He’s also corralled 5.8 boards per contest. Johnson ranks as a seventh-rounder over the last week, and managers in need of points and triples should scoop him up.

Egor Dëmin, Brooklyn Nets (23 percent rostered)

Dëmin’s rookie campaign got off to a slow start, but he’s come on strong over the last week, offering second-round fantasy value to managers in that span. His performance on Sunday against the Grizzlies was lackluster, but in three games prior, he racked up 16.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 4.3 triples. Brooklyn appears invested in developing its young talent, and Dëmin should remain an integral part of Brooklyn’s rotation through the end of the 2025-26 season.

Naji Marshall, Dallas Mavericks (22 percent rostered)

Marshall has started three straight games for the Mavs, and with Anthony Davis on the shelf for the foreseeable future, Marshall should be locked into the first unit. Over his last three starts, Marshall has averaged 15.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 triples while shooting 56.3% from the floor. He’s only knocked down half of his free-throw attempts, but managers who can handle the inefficient shooting from the charity stripe should add Marshall now.

Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors (18 percent rostered)

The rookie has shined as a starter, making the most of his new opportunity with averages of 11.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.3 swats across 31.7 minutes over his last four outings. He came away with a monster stat line of 17 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks across 42 minutes in Sunday’s OT victory over the 76ers, securing the win and becoming the first player in team history to reach those numbers in a single game. CMB has leapfrogged Sandro Mamukelashvili as the backup center, and his role should continue to grow as Jakob Poeltl deals with a lingering back issue.

Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets (11 percent rostered)

With Nic Claxton back in action, Sharpe has come off the bench in two straight contests, but he’s averaged seven points, 11 boards, two dimes, a steal and 0.5 blocks across 19 minutes in that span. Sharpe’s role may grow, as he splits time with Claxton, and the former sports career per-36 averages of 16 points, 13.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.6 swats. He’s worth a speculative look, especially if you need rebounds.

Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks (10 percent rostered)

Robinson provided six points, 11 rebounds, two assists, three steals and three blocks across 25 minutes on Sunday as the Knicks snapped Portland’s five-game win streak. Robinson has seen his playing time and production tick up as of late. Across his last four games, the backup big has averaged five points, 11 boards and 1.5 swats while logging at least 24 minutes in each.

De’Anthony Melton, Golden State Warriors (7 percent rostered)

Melton has missed more games than he’s played this season due to nagging injuries, but he’s been able to stay healthy and get involved in Golden State’s rotation over the last two weeks. Across his last four games, Melton has averaged 14 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.5 swats and 2.3 triples across 22.9 minutes. He’s effective on both ends of the court, and his ability to score, hit triples and rack up defensive stats makes him a worthwhile addition in most formats.

Other options:Julian Champagnie (25%), Jake LaRavia (22%), Ryan Kalkbrenner (21%), Kelly Oubre Jr. (19%), Daniel Gafford (19%), Sam Merrill (17%), Isaiah Collier (15%), Malik Monk (14%), Justin Champagnie (10%), Zeke Nnaji (6%)

It's the Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers in tonight's Peacock NBA Monday matchup. This is the third of four meetings between the two teams this season. Boston won both contests in December. Tip-off for tonight's game is at 7:30 PM ET on Peacock. See below for additional information on how to watch the Celtics vs Pacers game and follow all of the NBA action on NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.

Click here to sign up for Peacock!

Boston Celtics:

The Celtics are coming off a 100-95 home loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. Derrick White finished with 29 points and 9 rebounds.

Jaylen Brown had 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. The four-time All-Star is on track for career highs in points per game (29.5), assists (5), and field goals made per game (10.9). He has 21 games this season with at least 30 points.

The Celtics are 9-3 in their last 12 games and currently sit third in the Eastern Conference.

RELATED:Celtics’ Jaylen Brown calls out officials after loss to Spurs

Indiana Pacers:

After a franchise-record 13-game losing streak, the Pacers have won their last two games. They defeated the Hornets 114-112 on the road last Thursday and most recently defeated the Heat 123-99 on Saturday. However, the Pacers have yet to win three consecutive games all season.

In addition to superstar Tyrese Haliburton, who is out for the season with an Achilles injury, 13 other players have missed time. Pacers players have missed a combined 216 games this season. The team's 23 different starting lineups are the most in the league this season.

RELATED:Pistons’ starters Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris to miss several games with injuries

How to watch Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers:

• When: Tonight, Monday, January 12
• Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Time: 7:30 PM ET
• Live Stream:Peacock and NBCSN

Week 13 Fantasy Basketball Schedule Primer: Low-rostered Lakers like Jake LaRavia should be popular

The Lakers have the NBA’s first five-game week of the season, while four teams only play twice.

• Raphielle Johnson,

How to watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock:

Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.

Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.

How to sign up for Peacock:

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.

NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule

Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

With the All-Star break now in the rear-view mirror, the focus of many fantasy managers will be to lock down a playoff spot in their leagues and put themselves in the best position possible to win their leagues. Crafting lineups and scouring the waiver wire for value becomes even more challenging, especially when some teams have made it clear they're focused on the future.

For some teams, that means doing everything they can to improve their draft lottery odds. For others, that also means ensuring that their chances of losing their lottery pick are as slim as possible. By virtue of the trade at the deadline that landed them center Ivica Zubac, the Indiana Pacers are one of those teams.

One of the picks sent to the Clippers was Indiana's 2026, and it is heavily protected. As long as it lands within the first four picks or between 10 and 30, the Pacers will keep the pick, with the Clippers receiving an unprotected 2031 first-round pick instead. However, if the pick lands between fifth and ninth, it goes to the Clippers, who gave up their first-round pick to Oklahoma City as part of the Paul George trade.

Each of the last two draft lotteries has seen the team with the best odds of receiving the first pick fall outside of the top-4, so effectively punting on the rest of the season is clearly not guaranteed to work. However, with the Pacers holding the league's fourth-worst record, reaching a spot outside the bottom 10 would take a lot of effort.

Not only does the approach the team takes the rest of the way affect Zubac, who has yet to debut due to a sprained ankle, but also players like Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, and T.J. McConnell. Add in the $100,000 fine handed down by the NBA regarding the team's handling of player availability for a February 3 loss to the Jazz (Utah received a $500,000 fine for its player participation issues during February 7 and 9 games against the Magic and Heat), and pulling the plug completely will be difficult to do.

As always, rankings need to be taken with a grain of salt due to player availability questions. Due to season-ending injuries, Utah's Jaren Jackson Jr. and Sacramento's Zach LaVine are no longer ranked, pushing players like Brice Sensabaugh, Kyle Filipowski (Utah) and Nique Clifford (Sacramento) into higher-profile roles for the rest of the season.

→ Watch the NBA on Peacock on Monday, February 23, as the Spurs take on the Pistons at 7:00 p.m. ET, followed by the Jazz visiting the Rockets at 9:30 p.m. ET!

Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Nets’ Day’Ron Sharpe offers late-season lottery appeal

Day’Ron Sharpe has been excellent when given increased run for Brooklyn, and he could see that down the stretch of the 2025-26 campaign.

• Zak Hanshew,