Sacramento Kings vs. Indiana Pacers Prediction & Best Bets (December 8th, 2025)
Sometimes, the games most people don’t care about are the best ones to bet on. That’s exactly the thinking on Monday night, when the 6-17 Sacramento Kings visit the 5-18 Indiana Pacers.
Oddly enough, both teams are coming off of rare wins, so someone will be looking at a two-game winning streak following this game. The early odds indicate that will be the Pacers, who are -170 favorites at home..
Still, this is going to be a tough game to call, seeing as neither team has been reliable on the year. Indiana’s pace and suspect defense from both sides combine to make this an interesting game to wager on, however.
Not sure which bet stands out? I’ve got you covered. Let’s look over the latest odds and key matchups as I highlight the best picks and my Kings vs. Pacers prediction.
Game Details
- Matchup: Sacramento Kings (6-17) vs. Indiana Pacers (5-18)
- Date & Time: Monday, December 8th at 6:00 pm (7:00 pm ET)
- Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
- How to Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Indiana and NBC Sports California
Early Season Performance & Trends
Sacramento Kings
The Kings were always destined to fail, but not having big man Domantas Sabonis healthy has really hurt them overall. Of course, Sacramento is perhaps the worst constructed team in the NBA, as they are filled with isolation scorers who can’t shoot.
Their roster relies on said iso scorers actually scoring and managing to effectively share the rock, while also taking the ball out of the hands of arguably their best passer (Sabonis) when he’s on the floor.
Sacramento briefly showed life in a tight four-point loss to the Suns to start the year, but a 1-4 start quickly turned into something much worse. Zach LaVine went nuts on Saturday to get the Kings back in the win column, but this is a team set to blow things up at a moment’s notice.
As things stand, they are barreling faster and faster toward the top pick in next year’s NBA Draft.
Indiana Pacers
Something similar can be said for the Pacers, who reached the NBA Finals last year, only to lose superstar guard Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles in game seven.
That was a double whammy, as Indiana went on to lose that game and then had to face the harsh reality of enduring all of this season without their best player. The Pacers then lost center Myles Turner in free agency, signaling a likely lost season.
I’m not sure anyone thought it’d be this bad, but the Pacers are finding it difficult to win games. Indiana lost a wild shootout with OKC in a Finals rematch in their first game, which rolled out a rough 0-5 start that they ultimately never recovered from.
The good news? Indy plays fast, and they often still compete, so they have a real chance at their sixth win of the year at home against the Kings.
Head‑to‑Head / Historical Context
The Pacers and Kings have faced each other 100 times, with no meetings during the playoffs. Monday will be their 101st showdown, with Indiana holding a light 55-45 all-time series edge.
Indiana and Sacramento met up two times last year, with the Pacers winning both times. The last meeting was quite close (111-109), but Indy has largely been in control, having won four of the last five games.
Monday night’s game will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where Indy is 2-10 on the season. They have only gone 2-2 over the last four meetings at home in this matchup.
Key Matchup Breakdown
As noted, the Kings have a collection of talented scorers, but none of them are great floor spacers or consistent perimeter shooters. Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan are all in the same starting lineup, which is not something I thought anyone would approve of in these trying times.
They are individually still solid scorers and playmakers, but there’s a reason this team ranks 27th in scoring, 25th in effective FG%, and 17th in assists per game. Take a healthy Sabonis out of the equation, and it only gets worse, while the Kings also lose a key rebounding source.
LaVine (20.7 ppg) and DeRozan (17.9) are doing all they can to keep the ship afloat, but it’s a losing battle. Keegan Murray (16.3 ppg) is a bright spot, and second-round pick Maxime Raynaud has looked promising, but this is a lethargic offense that isn’t going anywhere as presently constructed.
Things aren’t any better for Indiana when it comes to actual wins, but they’re definitely the more cohesive team on offense. The Pacers have actual shooters they can turn to, while Pascal Siakam (24.5 ppg) has enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career.
Siakam obviously can’t consistently elevate Indiana, but he’s doing a fantastic job. Benedict Mathurin (21.1 ppg) and Andrew Nembhard (17.2) provide solid spacing, while Aaron Nesmith (15.4 ppg) chips in when healthy as well.
Indiana’s offense still isn’t seeing actual results compared to the rest of the league, though. They rank dead last in assists per game, 29th in scoring, and 30th in shooting percentage.
The Pacers do a good job at getting to the line and converting; however, while they can compete with just about anyone when their outside shot is falling.
Neither of these teams play good defense. Indiana is giving up 119 points per game (24th), while the Kings are allowing 122 (26th) per game. They both rank inside the bottom-10 in terms of defensive efficiency as well.
The Pacers try to combat their weak defense by pushing the pace. They rank 6th in pace and if they are hitting their shots, can be oddly competitive. Sacramento (18th) is closer to the middle of the pack in terms of pace.
- Sacramento’s ISO scorers vs. Indiana’s interior defense: This is one of the few spots where Sacramento’s penetration may benefit them. The Pacers rank 23rd in transition defensively, as well as 24th in points allowed in the paint.
- Indiana’s outside shooting vs. Kings’ perimeter defense: Indiana is not always a lights-out three-point shooting team, but they do get up 36.5 treys per game and hit 12 per game. That could work to their favor with the Kings ranking dead last in three-point makes allowed per game.
- Pascal Siakam vs. Sacramento’s interior defense: The Kings are even worse at stopping offenses inside, as they allow 56 points in the paint per game (30th). That’s worse than anyone, giving Siakam and every other Indy big a shot at a big outing.
The Pacers will be lacking some depth on the wing for this one, as Ben Sheppard has been ruled out with a calf injury. Indy continues to be without key depth pieces such as Aaron Nesmith, Obi Toppin, and Quentin Jackson as well.
Sacramento has been missing time with a meniscus tear in his left knee and is unlikely to return for this matchup. Guard Dennis Schroder has a hip ailment that caused him to sit out Saturday’s win and will make him unlikely to take the floor vs. Indiana.
Betting Odds & Market Interpretation
Check out the latest Kings vs. Pacers betting odds at DraftKings:
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
Kings | +3.5 (-105) | +142 | Over 234.5 (-115) |
Pacers | -3.5 (-115) | -170 | Under 234.5 (-105) |
The spread and moneyline favor the Pacers on their home floor. This should be priced closer to a pick’em, but the oddsmakers are crediting Indiana quite a bit here, while putting an onus on Sacramento’s road woes.
The game total is pretty high. That makes sense, seeing as the Pacers play fast and both of these teams are terrible defensively.
From a Bettor’s Lens
There’s solid value on both sides. The Kings are appealing on the ML, but the spread is fairly tight, and Sacramento has been poor ATS.
The game total is the most appealing bet at first glance. Neither offense is reliable, but the pace and defensive ineptitude make the Over stand out.
Situational Considerations
The Pacers have not held a clear edge at home, going just 2-10 there on the season. The Kings have been abysmal on the road (3-10), however.
Sacramento has not been good (8-15) against the spread. They’ve been respectable (6-7) ATS as the road dog, however.
Indiana has a bad record, but they’ve been competitive. They’ve gone 12-11 against the spread as a whole and are 7-5 ATS at home.
Best Bets & Confidence Levels
| Bet | Rationale | Confidence Level |
|---|---|---|
Over 234.5 (-115) | This game should be a shootout with plenty of scoring. Indy is top-10 in pace, and both of these teams can’t stop anyone defensively. | 7/10 |
Pacers ML (-170) | You’re not getting as much value with the spread, but I favor Indy at home. They’re a more cohesive team, and the Kings are bad on the road. | 7/10 |
Shifting odds reflect bettors reacting to the Kings vs. Pacers pace clash and defensive struggles—track updated betting odds lines at our trusted sportsbooks.
Final Score Prediction & Closing Thoughts
Final Score Prediction: Pacers 122, Kings 120
I expect a lot of points and a competitive game. My main Kings vs. Pacers prediction is that we get a shootout, as neither team can stop anyone, and Indiana will dictate the pace at home.
Both teams give it up down low and in transition, so there’s no reason for either offense to struggle. Given how competitive they’ve been at home, I think Indy is also a good bet to get the win.
This should also be a good game to bet on Overs for Kings vs. Pacers player props.
