Pacers vs. Bucks Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Monday, Oct. 26

The Pacers are favored on the road on Monday night.

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton is a solid prop target on Monday night. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Indiana Pacers-Milwaukee Bucks rivalry has a lot of new faces in the 2026-27 season, as Giannis Antetokounmpo is now with the Miami Heat and the Pacers have added some new faces as well to begin the 2026-27 season. 

Indy is coming off a huge win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night, and it’s set as the clear favorite in Monday’s game in Milwaukee. However, the Pacers are expected to be short-handed against the winless Bucks. 

Center Ivica Zubac suffered an ankle injury on Sunday, and while it doesn’t appear to be super serious, he is expected to miss Monday’s game. 

Indiana Pacers center Ivica Zubac got an x-ray on his left ankle, which came back negative, coach Rick Carlisle told me postgame. Carlisle said Zubac’s ankle is swollen and it’s unlikely he’ll play tomorrow night against the Milwaukee Bucks. Zubac left the arena on crutches. pic.twitter.com/zq90UeE23r

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) October 26, 2026

On the bright side for the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton (returning from a torn Achilles) shared that he will play on the second night of a back-to-back. After losing to Dallas on Friday night in their home opener, the Pacers are hoping to get to 3-1 with a win over a Bucks team that may end up in the relegation zone in the 2026-27 season. 

Tyler Herro and the Bucks have losses to Washington, Chicago and Philly, and they’re allowing the most points per game (129.0) in the NBA. Can they hang around against a Pacers team with NBA Finals hopes this season?

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, a player prop to bet and my prediction for this Eastern Conference clash. 

Pacers vs. Bucks Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

• Pacers -4.5 (-108)
• Bucks +4.5 (-112)

Moneyline

• Pacers: -166
• Bucks: +140

Total

• 238.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Pacers vs. Bucks How to Watch

• Date: Monday, Oct. 26
• Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
• Venue: Fiserv Forum
• How to Watch (TV): DAZN, My24 Milwaukee, NBA League Pass
• Pacers record: 2-1
• Bucks record: 0-3

Pacers vs. Bucks Injury Reports

Pacers Injury Report

• Not submitted yet

Bucks Injury Report

• None to report

Pacers vs. Bucks Best NBA Prop Bets

Pacers Best NBA Prop Bet

• Tyrese Haliburton OVER 9.5 Assists (-126)

Haliburton is one of the best passers in the NBA, and he hasn't missed a beat despite sitting out all of last season, averaging 9.7 dimes per game.

Through his first two games of the season, Haliburton was averaging 17.5 potential assists per game. While the NBA hasn't logged his potential assist numbers from Sunday's matchup, the star guard still finished with 10 dimes, clearing this prop for the second time in three games.

The Bucks are just 22nd in the NBA in opponent assists per game and they're allowing the most points per game in the league (129.0) during this 0-3 start. So, that sets up well for Haliburton and the Indiana offense to hang a major number on Monday, even on the second night of a back-to-back.

Haliburton has averaged at least nine dimes per game in each of his seasons with the Pacers, including multiple years with over 10 assists per game. He's a great bet to keep that up with this offense off to a solid start (eighth in offensive rating) through three games.

Pacers vs. Bucks Prediction and Pick

The Bucks have some talent on their roster, but how those pieces fit together is really tough. The Antetokounmpo trade left Milwaukee with a ton of young players around veterans like Herro and Myles Turner, and the Bucks’ defense has not gotten enough stops in the first three games to keep any matchup inside five points.

So, this is a prime spot for the Pacers to come away with a sweep on a back-to-back, as Indy is the No. 8 offense in the league. 

Even though the Pacers failed to cover in their first two games of the season, they blew out Brooklyn on Sunday, dropping 136 points in a road win. 

I don’t trust the Bucks at all this season, as they are a fire sale waiting to happen at the trade deadline. 

It may not be the best price, but with Zubac banged up and the Pacers on a back-to-back, I want to avoid laying the 4.5 points in this spot. Instead, I’ll take Indy to simply win outright and move to 3-1 this season. 

Pick: Pacers Moneyline (-166 at DraftKings)

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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.

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