The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs take a pause today so it’s all on the NBA to provide postseason sporting action for now. In the first matchup, the Indiana Pacers and the Toronto Raptors battle for the pivotal 3-2 series lead. Then later tonight, the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks go at it in Game 5 of their own series. Read a brief overview of those two matchups below.
Line: Indiana Pacers (+7) vs. Toronto Raptors (-7); total: 199.5 – view all NBA lines
Toronto needs DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry to get back their shooting touch. DeRozan is shooting just 29.6 percent from the field on the series, while Lowry is posting a low 32.2 percent. They combined for 20 points on 8-for-27 shooting in a 100-83 loss to Indiana in Game 4. DeRozan and Lowry will look to do better later tonight in Air Canada Centre, where the Raptors are 5-1 ATS in their last six games there.
As for the Pacers, they are counting on Paul George and George Hill to deliver anew on both ends of the floor. George scored 19 points while shadowing DeRozan in Game 4. Hill, meanwhile, had 22 points in that game and helped put the clamps on Lowry. Indiana is 2-1 ATS in its last three road games.
Line: Boston Celtics (+7) vs. Atlanta Hawks (-7); total: 192.0 – view all NBA lines
It would obviously take Atlanta more than burying the Celtics in a 2-0 series deficit to force Boston into submission. That’s what the Hawks found out when they were defeated by Boston in Game 4, 104-95. With the series tied, the Hawks aim to gain the series lead when they host Celtics later tonight.
Atlanta is 3-1 ATS in its last four home games. Boston, which is 3-1 ATS in its last four meetings with the Hawks, is hoping Isaiah Thomas will deliver again. Thomas, who scored 28 points in Game 4, is averaging 28.3 points on the series. Atlanta is being led by Jeff Teague’s 18.0 PPG.
