The 2024/25 NBA postseason has reached its third round and the Eastern Conference Finals between the Pacers and Knicks has already provided tremendous theatre for basketball fans.
Indiana rallied from 14 points down with less than three minutes left to eventually win in overtime and stun New York fans at Madison Square Garden in Game 1.
Both of these teams have already overcome a lot to get to this point and Game 2 should be another thriller considering recent history between these franchises in the playoffs.
Will the Knicks bounce back at home, or will the Pacers seize control of the series heading back to Indiana? Let’s get into our expert’s betting picks and predictions for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Regardless of how you feel about their path to this point, the Pacers have simply been on an incredible run this postseason. In fact, not only has Indiana lost just two games overall, the Pacers are also undefeated on the road so far.
No lead is safe against the Pacers, as they have won three games when trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter this postseason.
That alone makes taking the points with Indiana an attractive option on paper, as it's clear that the Pacers have a higher offensive ceiling than their opponents.
During this postseason, Indiana has been a very efficient offense, shooting at a 40.6 percent clip from beyond the three-point arc, which is a whopping 5.1 percent better than the Knicks.
The Pacers made four more three-pointers in Game 1, and if they continue to have this advantage, the Knicks are going to have real issues creating separation in these games.
Game 1 also showed that the Pacers have a deeper bench than the hosts, as their second unit outscored the Knicks 31-17.
It's well documented that Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau does not place much trust in his rotation players, which could come back to haunt New York, especially considering that fatigue could play a part during this contest following an overtime game.
All things considered, our expert is taking the points with the underdog Pacers to keep things uncomfortably close with a desperate Knicks team on Friday.
The Pacers have been getting themselves involved in high scoring games this postseason, and that trend continued with Game 1 soaring over the total. In fact, in their last eight games, Indiana has seen seven of those contests 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.
Indiana also leads this postseason in true shooting percentage through the first two rounds and the Pacers were able to consistently attack Karl-Anthony Towns and a Knicks defense that has struggled with protecting the rim on drives.
On the other side of the ball for New York, the Knicks clearly relished facing a weaker defensive team than the likes of the Pistons and Celtics.
New York was able to attack Indiana at will in the paint, while also dominating on the offensive boards and consistently generating good looks for its perimeter players.
The Pacers have been incredibly efficient, and the Knicks offense had no issue matching Indiana’s efficiency in Game 1. We can expect that to continue in what is a must-win spot for New York at home.
Ultimately, there should be a ton of possessions in this game, which should give both teams plenty of chances at putting up points on Friday. With that in mind, our expert is backing Over 225.5 in Game 2.
Read more betting picks and predictions for the NBA on site.
Indiana Pacers | +210 ML |
New York Knicks | -260 ML |
Spread | Knicks -6.0 |
Total Points | O/U 225.5 |
Jalen Brunson (NY Knicks) | O/U 29.5 |
Karl-Anthony Towns (NY Knicks) | O/U 23.5 |
Tyrese Haliburton (IND Pacers) | O/U 20.5 |
Pascal Siakam (IND Pacers) | O/U 18.5 |
OG Anunoby (NY Knicks) | O/U 16.5 |
Mikal Bridges (NY Knicks) | O/U 16.5 |
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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.