Pick: Indiana -6,5 @ 2,10 BF
Indiana (25-23, 16-8 home) , Milwaukee (27-24, 10-15 away)
This month began with a seven game homestand for the Pacers and their recent improved play has produced four wins in the last five games at Conseco including a 26 point rout of the Lakers on the 1st followed by an eight point win over Detroit three nights later. In game three of this homestead, Indiana went on to beat Portland by 32 points and then Golden State by 12 before finally falling by four points to the Spurs last night. Indy still salvaged the cover and if not for Ginobili scoring 10 points in the last 1:28 of the game, the Pacers might well have ended the Spurs nine game winning streak.
Since Peja Stojakovic joined this team in late January, they have been playing with a renewed spark and winning in front of the home crowd has obviously had a positive effect on the team’s confidence. The Pacers have averaged 93.3 points this year but over the last five games, that average has jumped to 98.8 points per game and while their opponents have scored 90.7 points against them this season, in the last five games that number has plummeted to 84.0 points per game. Indiana is playing their best ball of the season right now.
Milwaukee is 6-5 since Jan. 25th, with all six wins coming at home and all five losses suffered on the road. These two teams played each other on January 11th with the Bucks getting pounded in a 24 point loss, you guessed it, at Conseco. If the Pacers were able to play the Spurs to within four points last Sunday, I feel pretty good about their chances, with three days rest under their belts, of covering six points against the Bucks who played last night and then had to travel to Indy.
Won [[yo]]
