Cavaliers-Pacers Series Odds & Predictions: Bet On Cleveland To Win East?

Written By Eli Hershkovich | Published at May 3, 2025

The top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers square off against the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers in the second round of the 2025 NBA playoffs starting Sunday, May 4. Which team will advance to the Eastern Conference finals? Cleveland is priced at -480 to win the series and is a spread favorite in Game 1. For those who believe Donovan Mitchell and Co. are the best team in the East, here's an alternative way to bet on Cavaliers vs. Pacers odds.

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cavaliers vs. pacers series odds before game 1

Eastern Conference futures odds

[metabet_core_side_odds_tile query="bkp/nba_winner_east" size="100%x300" site_id="thelines"]

Are Cavaliers Undervalued?

Last offseason, in search of a new-look offensive scheme, Cleveland replaced J.B. Bickerstaff with Kenny Atkinson as head coach. Atkinson stirred up more of a motion-based attack, and the Cavs accumulated 121 points per 100 possessions in the regular season, helping deliver the NBA's best offensive efficiency by a sizeable margin.

Bettors already witnessed what a defense driven by Evan Mobley, this year's Defensive Player of the Year, and Jarrett Allen could supply. They continued their ascent by showcasing the league's eighth-rated unit. The aftermath was 64 regular-season wins, a No. 1 seed, and a net rating second only in the East to the defending champion Boston Celtics.

Still, there's enough market skepticism around Cleveland to make its odds of winning the East a worthwhile bet. For context, I believe their price should be closer to +125, equivalent to a 44.4% implied probability, and it's available at (36.4%).

This strategy should also yield a greater profit than a moneyline (ML) rollover approach, which involves wagering on a team’s odds and using the winnings to bet on them again in the subsequent series. While there’s no guarantee of that notion, we can use a parlay calculator to determine that the Cavaliers' series price in the semifinals, paired with the estimated odds for Cavs vs. Celtics, wouldn't provide as much value.

A riskier angle would gear toward betting on Mitchell, Cleveland's star guard, to win the MVP of the 2025 Eastern Conference finals. Granted, bettors must have enough confidence that Cleveland will upend Indiana to employ either of these tactics.

Eastern Conference Finals: MVP Odds

Cavaliers vs. Pacers odds: Series Predictions

During the postseason, Indiana's transition defense grades in the 81st percentile on a points-per-possession (PPP) basis, stemming from its first-round win over Milwaukee. But considering the Bucks only tallied two full games with Damian Lillard (torn Achilles), I'm unwilling to give the Pacers (below average in the regular season) an entire bouquet of flowers.

Additionally, even if Cavs point guard Darius Garland (toe) isn't healthy come Sunday, they have enough depth to wreak havoc with their elite half-court offense, which is where Rick Carlisle's unit is most suspect.

I'll concede that the Cavaliers benefited from facing the pitiful Heat. Nevertheless, if you remove their offensive onslaught in the opening series, their half-court efficiency settles in the exact same percentile (97th). Conversely, Indiana's shooting splits should undergo some regression while battling a vastly superior defense.

Below, you can click on any of the Game 1 odds for Cavaliers vs. Pacers to place a bet.