Cavaliers vs. Pacers Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Tuesday, Jan. 6

Can the Cavs bounce back with a road win against the worst team in the East?

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland is an interesting prop target on Tuesday. / David Dermer-Imagn Images

Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers came up short on Sunday against a short-handed Detroit Pistons team, ending their three-game winning streak. 

Now, Mitchell is set to miss Tuesday’s game due to rest while Jarrett Allen is also on the injury report as questionable.

The Cavs are just 20-17 this season, and they’re one loss away from matching their total from the 2024-25 campaign.

However, Cleveland is in a good spot to get a win on Tuesday night – even with Mitchell out – as it is set as road favorite against the struggling Indiana Pacers. 

Less than a year removed from making the NBA Finals, the Pacers have dealt with a ton of injuries in the 2025-26 season and are just 6-30 overall. They lost their 12th game in a row on Sunday against the Orlando Magic, and they’re just 5-14 at home and 1-16 on the road.

Indy is in dead last in the Eastern Conference, but can it hang around with a Cavs team that has the worst against the spread record in the NBA?

Let’s take a look at the odds, my favorite player prop and a prediction for this divisional battle on Tuesday night. 

Cavaliers vs. Pacers Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Cavs -5.5 (-110)
• Pacers +5.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Cavs: -218
• Pacers: +180

Total

• 236.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Cavaliers vs. Pacers How to Watch

• Date: Tuesday, Jan. 6
• Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
• Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
• How to Watch (TV): FanDuel Sports Network (Local)
• Cavs record: 20-17
• Pacers record: 6-30

Cavaliers vs. Pacers Injury Reports

Cavs Injury Report

• Donovan Mitchell – out
• Jarrett Allen – questionable
• Max Strus – out
• Larry Nance Jr. – out
• Luke Travers – out
• Chris Livingston – out
• Dean Wade – questionable

Pacers Injury Report

• Tyrese Haliburton – out
• Bennedict Mathurin – out
• Obi Toppin – out
• Isaiah Jackson – out

Cavaliers vs. Pacers Best NBA Prop Bet

Cavs Best NBA Prop Bet

• Darius Garland UNDER 36.5 Points, Rebounds and Assists (-123)

Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why I’m fading Garland against Indiana:

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland should have an expanded role on Tuesday night against the Indiana Pacers, as Donovan Mitchell (rest) has been ruled out for this game.

However, I’m not buying Garland in this points, rebounds and assists prop. 

Earlier this season, Garland played one game without Mitchell and dropped 35 points on the Chicago Bulls, but this is a much tougher matchup on the road against the Pacers – even though Indy has the worst record in the East.

Let me explain.

Indiana, despite all of its struggles, is still a solid defensive team, ranking sixth in the NBA in opponent assists per game and No. 1 in opponent 3s made per game. That should make things tougher on Garland, and it’s worth noting that the Pacers are in the middle of the pack in opposing point guard points per game (26.21) this season. 

Garland enters this matchup averaging 17.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game while shooting 42.0 percent from the field and 35.0 percent from 3. In 21 games this season, he’s cleared 36.5 PRA just three times.

Even with Mitchell out, I think this number is a little too high against an Indiana team that has a plethora of pesky guard defenders. 

Cavaliers vs. Pacers Prediction and Pick

While I’m not going to pick the Pacers to win this game outright, I think Cleveland is running a major risk here sitting Mitchell. 

The Cavs have not won at margin this season, going 12-25 against the spread overall and 3-7 against the spread as road favorites, posting an average scoring margin of just +2.8 in those games.

Meanwhile, the Pacers are a better team at home, covering in 10 of their 19 games despite winning just five of them outright. Indiana has an average scoring margin of -5.2 in those matchups. 

I like the Pacers to hang around in this game, as Cleveland is just 1-2 when Mitchell sits this season, losing to Toronto and Chicago. 

Cleveland outranks the Pacers in just about every major statistic, but it is worth noting that Indy’s season long net rating (-8.8) is mainly due to a poor road record and not how the team has fought at home (-5.1 net rating). 

Pick: Pacers +5.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

---

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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

Claim the latest DraftKings promo code offer today. Sign up and win your first $5 bet to get $200 in bonus bets instantly.