Preview: Can Boston stop the bleeding in Indiana vs. the Pacers?

The Boston Celtics hope to turn around their recent bad luck with a win in Indiana against the Pacers — but they’ll have to do it without shooting guard Jaylen Brown.

The 42-21 Boston Celtics travel to the 39-25 Indiana Pacers as Boston seeks to right the ship after losing four of their last five games.

The Pacers have been playing well of late, winning their last two and eight of their last 10 compared to five wins for Boston over a similar stretch, and are a legitimate threat to the Miami Heat to capture the East’s fourth seed by season’s end.

The Celtics, on the other hand, are seeing their chances to steal the second seed from the Toronto Raptors after their recent spate of losses, now 3.5 games behind their neighbors to the north.

Boston will face Indiana without shooting guard Jaylen Brown (hamstring), and second-year center Robert Williams III is also listed on the injury report as probable for the contest with a sore lower back.

The Pacers will be without shooting guard Jeremy Lamb (ACL/leg) and point guard Malcolm Brogdon (quadriceps).

They may also be without shooting guard Victor Oladipo (knee) and forward Doug McDermott (toe), listed as questionable and doubtful for the meeting with the Celtics respectively.

Boston should be favored in this matchup, but with their inconsistent play of late it may be closer than the standings might otherwise indicate, especially with so many injuries plaguing the Pacers.

Most online bookmakers tend to agree, granting the Celtics a -2.5 spread.

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