Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction: Injury Report, Starting 5s, Betting Odds & Picks - December 16

The Cleveland Cavaliers will open up a six-game homestand with their first matchup against their divisional rivals, the Indiana Pacers. Both teams will be looking for a second straight victory after dispatching a Western Conference foe on Wednesday.

Last season, Cleveland swept Indiana, with Darius Garland scoring 41 points in the final matchup. But this is a new year, and so far both teams seem better than they were a year ago.

We'll see if the Pacers have caught up to the Cavaliers, or if Cleveland's improvements will keep them above Indiana on the court.

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Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Match Details

Fixture: Indiana Pacers @ Cleveland Cavaliers

Date and Time: Friday, December 16, 7:30 p.m. EDT

Venue: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse

Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Injury Report

Indiana should be getting small forward Chris Duarte (ankle) back soon, but for now, he's still rehabbing in the G-League. Center Daniel Theis (knee) and shooting guard Kendall Brown (leg) don't have a timeline yet and are already ruled out for this game also.

Cleveland has three players ruled out for tonight's game. Point guard Ricky Rubio (knee) will be out alongside forwards Dean Wade (shoulder) and Dylan Windler (ankle).

Player	Team	Injury	Status
Kendall Brown	Pacers	Leg	Out
Chris Duarte	Pacers	Ankle	Out
Daniel Theis	Pacers	Knee	Out
Dean Wade	Cavaliers	Shoulder	Out
Dylan Windler	Cavaliers	Ankle	Out
Ricky Rubio	Cavaliers	Knee	Out

Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Odds

Team	Spread	Total	Money Line
Indiana Pacers	+8.0 (-110)	Over 222.5 (-110)	+225
Cleveland Cavaliers	-8.0 (-110)	Under 222.5 (-110)	-292

Odds are courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook

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Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Starting 5s

Pacers - PG: Tyrese Haliburton, SG: Andrew Nembhard, SF: Buddy Hield, PF: Jalen Smith, C: Myles Turner

Cavaliers - PG: Darius Garland, SG: Donovan Mitchell, SF: Lamar Stevens, PF: Evan Mobley, C: Jarrett Allen

Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction

The Cleveland Cavaliers have excelled at home this year, jumping out to a 12-2 this season. Their point differential at home is +146, good for an average margin of +10.4 at home. They are also the best defensive team in the league, only allowing 104.6 points per game. With Donovan Mitchell healthy again, Cleveland's offense is back to being productive enough to take advantage of their elite defense almost every night.

An area that Cleveland should have a significant edge in is rebounding. The Pacers are 26th in rebounds per game and 27th in opponent rebounds allowed per game.

The Cavaliers hold opponents to the second-fewest rebounds per game in the NBA. Their stout defense combined with limiting Indiana's potential second-chance points should be able to carry them to another victory over the Pacers.