Pacers vs Raptors NBA Cup Clash: How to Watch, Odds, Predictions, More

On Tuesday night, the 9-12 Indiana Pacers will try to climb closer to a .500 record by, hopefully, beating up on one of the dregs of the Eastern Conference, the lowly 6-15 Toronto Raptors, in an utterly meaningless NBA Cup clash.

The rebuilding Raptors are fully in tank mode, and are no doubt seeking to pile on the pain in Scotiabank Arena. Toronto is 5-4 at home, while Indiana is unfortunately 2-9 on the road, and the Raptors boast several young, high-upside pieces, so an upset is certainly possible.

How To Watch

The action tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET via Fan Duel Sports Network Indiana. Both clubs are 0-3 in NBA Cup group stage play, and have already been eliminated from the quarterfinals. This essentially makes the game just about rebuilding present-day value for the Pacers, and continuing to target the future for tanktastic Toronto.

Odds

Indiana is currently a marginal three-point favorite to best Toronto, per sportsbook aggregator The Action Network. Power forward Pascal Siakam is projected by oddsmakers to be the club's leading scorer, with his over/under set at a team-high 20.5 points. Shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin, starting in the stead of Aaron Nesmith, has been given an over/under ranging from 18.5 to 19.5 points. Raptors small forward R.J. Barrett has been awarded the best overall estimated points tally, at 24.5.

Predictions

The Raptors will be missing a boatload of key contributors, according to the league's latest injury report. Former Pacers guard Bruce Brown, the team's coveted offseason signing in 2023 who was traded midseason, continues to get back into conditioning shape following a long injury layoff. Second-year guard Gradey Dick, a lottery pick who has taken on an outsized role in this year's offense, is questionable due to a left calf contusion. Pricey veterans Immanuel Quickley (partial left elbow year) and Kelly Olynyk (lumbar strain) are on the shelf. Look for Indiana to survive Toronto, despite its own wing absences.

Indiana is on a two-game slide, and has lost six of its last 10 contests, due in large part to the prolonged injury absences of wings Andrew Nembhard (now back after a month-long shelving), Aaron Nesmith and Ben Sheppard. That said, Nembhard's status is seen as questionable due to left patellofemoral inflammation. The team has looked far more mediocre this season than its 2023-24 Eastern Conference Finals-bound vintage. Any schedule win should be taken with glee.

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