Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks Game 1: Picks, Predictions, Odds and Player Props

The 2024/25 NBA postseason has reached its third round and the Eastern Conference Finals features an old-school 1990s throwback, as the Indiana Pacers take on the New York Knicks.

These teams faced off in six playoff series between 1993 and 2000, with three of those meetings coming in the Conference Finals.

Both of these teams have already overcome a lot to get to this point, as the Pacers just dispatched the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games, while the Knicks upset the heavily favored Boston Celtics to advance to the Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. 

Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks Game 1 betting picks and predictions

Indiana Pacers +4.5 (-110)

The Knicks haven’t exactly been invincible at Madison Square Garden this season, including losing games to both the Pistons and Celtics at home earlier this postseason. 

There is no doubt that Jalen Brunson will show up, but it remains to be seen if the ancillary pieces on the Knicks will be a bit more consistent in a series where they’ll need to score to keep up with Indiana’s relentless pace and efficiency on offense. 

Given the pace that the Pacers play at, there should be plenty of possessions in this game, which should give them plenty of chances to put up points on Wednesday.

Indiana also leads this postseason in true shooting percentage through the first two rounds, which presents a difficult task for a Knicks defense that has struggled with opposing guards, specifically protecting the rim on drives.

This should be a long series with plenty of momentum swings on a game-by-game basis. For Game 1, back the visiting Pacers to at least keep it close.

Over 224.0 Total Points (-110)

To the surprise of no one, the Pacers have been getting themselves involved in high scoring games this postseason. In fact, over their last seven games, Indiana has seen six of those games surpass the combined 230-point mark. 

With Indiana checking in at third in pace among all teams during this postseason, it’s clear that they have been playing a style of basketball that lends itself well to both teams putting up points. As for New York, the Knicks should be well-positioned to do their part on offense. 

To this point, the hosts have faced off against strong defensive teams, with the Pistons and Celtics sitting at third and fourth in defensive rating this postseason. The Pacers are unlikely to put up the same level of resistance, which points in the direction of the Over.

The Pacers have been incredibly efficient, and while the Knicks offense could have issues matching Indiana’s efficiency, there will still be ways that they can aid their scoring numbers. 

Myles Turner and Pascal Siakam have been far from dominant on the glass, with neither big having averaged more than 7.5 rebounds per game in either of the first two series thus far. On the other side, the Knicks are ranked second in opponent second chance points per game and will be well positioned to take full advantage on the glass. 

Ultimately, this is a favorable matchup for both offenses, as the Knicks have managed to tally at least 120 points in each of the three regular-season games against the Pacers. We already know that the Pacers have shown they are more than capable of doing their part, so a high-scoring affair should be expected here. 

Read more betting picks and predictions for the NBA on site.

Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks Game 1 odds

Indiana Pacers	+150 ML
New York Knicks	-180 ML
Spread	IND -4.5
Total Points	O/U 224.0

Read the latest NBA news on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.