Pacers vs. Suns Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Thursday, Dec. 19

Can the Suns continue their strong play with Kevin Durant in action?
The Suns are favored at home on Thursday against Indiana.
The Suns are favored at home on Thursday against Indiana. / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Suns have been two different teams this season.

When Kevin Durant plays, they are one of the best teams in the NBA, winning 13 of 15 games. 

When Durant is out, they are just 1-9. KD is expected to play on Thursday at home against the Indiana Pacers, who have been disappointing so far this season.

Indiana is an underdog in this matchup, and it is the games under .500 — sitting in the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference. 

Both of these teams have won two games in a row. Who will keep the streak going tonight? 

Here’s a breakdown of the latest odds, players to watch in the prop market and a prediction for this matchup.

Pacers vs. Suns Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

  • Pacers +6.5 (-105)
  • Suns -6.5 (-115)

Moneyline

  • Pacers: +210
  • Suns: -258

Total

  • 232.5 (Over -112/Under -108)

Pacers vs. Suns How to Watch

  • Date: Thursday, Dec. 19
  • Time: 9:00 p.m. EST
  • Venue: Footprint Center
  • How to Watch (TV): NBA League Pass, Bally Sports (Local)
  • Pacers record: 12-15
  • Suns record: 14-11

Pacers vs. Suns Injury Reports

Pacers Injury Report

  • Enrique Freeman – doubtful
  • James Wiseman – out
  • Isaiah Jackson – out
  • Quenton Jackson – doubtful
  • Aaron Nesmith – out
  • Tristen Newton – doubtful
  • Ben Sheppard – questionable

Suns Injury Report

  • Bradley Beal – probable
  • Jalen Bridges – out
  • Collin Gillespie – out
  • TyTy Washington – out

Pacers vs. Suns Best NBA Prop Bets

Indiana Pacers Best NBA Prop Bets

  • Tyrese Haliburton UNDER 18.5 Points (-115)

This season, Pacers All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton has been a completely different player on the road than at home, and that leads me to fade him in his scoring prop tonight.

Here’s a comparison of some of Haliburton’s key numbers this season:

Points Per Game

  • Home: 21.4
  • Road: 15.5

Rebounds Per Game

  • Home: 3.4
  • Road: 3.3

Assists Per Game

  • Home: 9.0
  • Road: 8.2

Field Goal Percentage

  • Home: 47.3%
  • Road: 38.5%

3-Point Percentage

  • Home: 41.8%
  • Road: 29.0%

So, Haliburton is averaging nearly six less points while shooting significantly worse on the road than at home this season. I have a hard time trusting him against a Suns team that has been tough to beat at home, going 9-4 straight up this season. 

Phoenix Suns Best NBA Prop Bets

  • Devin Booker OVER 3.5 Rebounds (-120)

Booker has only cleared 3.5 boards in 11 games this season, but this is a great matchup for the star guard as Indiana ranks 29th in the NBA in rebounding percentage and sixth in pace.

That means there should be plenty of boards to go around – and some extra possessions – on Thursday night. 

Booker is averaging 3.7 rebounds per game this season, and he has cleared this prop in four of his last six games, grabbing at least three rebounds in all of them. 

Pacers vs. Suns Prediction and Pick

I love the Suns in this matchup as long as Durant is good to go.

I outlined in the intro just how much better Phoenix is when Durant plays, and it also is 9-4 straight up at home in the 2024-25 campaign.

The biggest thing to look at in this matchup is Indiana’s play on the road. The Pacers are not only 4-11 straight up away from home, but they’ve posted a net rating of -6.8 – 24th in the NBA – on the road this season.

To put that in perspective, that would be the fifth-worst net rating overall in the NBA this season.

The Pacers are also just 3-5 ATS as road dogs this season. I have to fade them on Thursday night. 

Pick: Suns -6.5 (-110)


Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.


Published
Peter Dewey
PETER DEWEY

Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.