Indiana Pacers Betting Preview
The Indiana Pacers came into this series brimming with confidence, and they must be on cloud nine right now after outlasting the Knicks in a thrilling 138-135 overtime win in Game 1 on Wednesday. Tyrese Haliburton led the team with 31 points and 11 assists, Aaron Nesmith drained eight 3-pointers to finish with 30 points, Pascal Siakam added 17 points with six assists while Andrew Nembhard chipped in with 15 points and four assists.
As a team, the Pacers shot 51 percent from the field and 15 of 37 from the 3-point line as they trailed for most of the contest and looked to be in deep trouble when they were behind by 17 points. Before they rallied with 38 points in the fourth quarter to force overtime where they escaped with the important upset win on the road.
New York Knicks Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks will be hoping to bounce back in this one after coming up painfully short to the Pacers in a heartbreaking defeat on Wednesday. Jalen Brunson led the team with 43 points and five assists on 15 of 25 shooting, Karl-Anthony Towns added 35 points with 12 rebounds while Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby each scored 16 points.
As a team, the Knicks shot 51 percent from the field and 11 of 34 from the 3-point line as they poured in 69 points in the first half to take the early lead and they looked to be in full control when the lead ballooned to 17 points, but they allowed the Pacers to hang around and it cost them in the end. The Knicks got next to nothing from their reserves as no bench players scored more than nine points, Anunoby and Brunson were both dealing with foul trouble and they finished with 15 turnovers while the Pacers had just seven.
Why the New York Knicks will win
- The Knicks have won each of their last eight games at Madison Square Garden following a home loss.
- The Pacers have lost seven of their last eight Eastern Conference Finals road games.
- The Knicks have covered the spread in nine of their last 11 games as home favorites against the Pacers following a loss.
- The Pacers have failed to cover the spread in eight of their last nine Friday games against Eastern Conference opponents that held a winning record.
Why the Indiana Pacers will win
- The Pacers have won each of their last five playoff games as road underdogs.
- The Knicks have lost four of their last five games as home favorites against Central Division opponents.
- The road team has covered the spread in seven of the Pacers’ last eight games.
- The Knicks have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four games as favorites against Central Division opponents.
New York Knicks Player Facts
- Karl-Anthony Towns ranks 1st in the league for second chance points (305) this season.
- Josh Hart ranks 1st amongst qualified Guards for rebounds per game (9.6) this season.
Indiana Pacers Player Facts
- Tyrese Haliburton ranks 1st amongst qualified players for assist:turnover ratio (5.6) this season.
- Myles Turner ranks 1st in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for Blocks Per Game (2.0) this season.
Knicks vs Pacers Prediction
The Pacers were able to steal home-court advantage on their first attempt after rallying past the Knicks in a dramatic overtime game on Wednesday, so now it’s up to the Knicks to respond and hopefully square the series in Game 2. It is certainly tempting to take the Pacers with the points after what we saw on Wednesday, but the Knicks desperately need this win and I think they can get the job done at home.
The Knicks have opened as a bigger favorite than they were in Game 1, but something tells me that this game is going down to the wire once again. I have the Knicks bouncing back with a crucial win at home, but I think we go down to the wire for the second straight game.