Pacers Look to Avoid Elimination Against Knicks
Knicks vs Pacers Expert Pick: Indianapolis -205 ML Favorite
The Indiana Pacers will look to stave off elimination in Game 6 against the New York Knicks. Tipoff is slated for Friday (time to be determined) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, with the Knicks leading the best-of-seven series 3-2.
Indiana is a 5-point favorite and -205 on the moneyline, with New York +170 to win outright. Meanwhile, the projected total is 216.
Despite that, the Knicks are still -270 favorites to win the series, compared to +215 for the Pacers.
What should bettors expect? Read on as we break down both teams and give our Knicks vs Pacers expert pick for Game 6.
New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers 
Day/Time:
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
Streaming: ESPN, ESPN+
Knicks vs Pacers Betting Trends
The New York Knicks are 49-41-3 against the spread, including 5-3 over the last eight games. New York has been far less profitable for Over/Under bettors, going just 2-3 this series and 43-50 overall.
The Indiana Pacers, meanwhile, have a nearly identical record ATS of 49-42-3. Indiana has also fared much better against the Over/Under at 48-44-2.
That’s important to remember when assessing our Knicks vs Pacers expert pick.
Brunson Rises to the Occasion Again
Quieting worries about his foot injury, Jalen Brunson poured in 44 points in Game 5 to send Indiana to the brink of elimination. Brunson is now averaging 32 points per game this series on 48.4% shooting.
With Brunson’s health seemingly no longer a concern, the focus now shifts squarely to OG Anunoby. Anunoby has been out since Game 2 with a hamstring injury. Although he continues to receive extensive treatment for the injury, it is unlikely to think he’s made enough progress to return for Game 6.
Anunoby has been a huge difference-maker since being acquired from Toronto in December. He was averaging 20.5 points on 50% shooting from 3 this series before his injury.
Alec Burks has stepped up in Anunoby’s absence as a 3-and-D guy, but he obviously doesn’t offer the same upside.
The Knicks’ rotation has remained extremely thin, with only seven players receiving significant playing time in Game 5. The extra day between games should help them get rest, but it’s fair to wonder when the Knicks’ lack of depth will catch up to them.
Oddsmakers have already expressed some skepticism, as the Knicks face the third-longest NBA title odds at +2000. In addition to Boston, the -130 favorite, all four remaining teams from the Western Conference are priced better than the Knicks Finals odds.
Keep that in mind when analyzing our Knicks vs Pacers expert pick.
Pacers on Brink of Elimination
Tyrese Haliburton was surprisingly quiet in Game 5, managing only 13 points on 5 of 9 shooting (1 of 4 from 3). He’d made at least four 3-pointers in each of the previous three games.
The Pacers can’t afford Haliburton to be so passive, especially on the road. Indiana has unsurprisingly fared far better at home this postseason, going 5-0 with an average margin of victory of 15 points.
They also must get better minutes from role players such as T.J. McConnell. On the heels of his double-double (15 points, 10 assists) in Game 4, McConnell was limited to seven points and five assists. More importantly, the Pacers were outscored by 19 points in his 19 minutes. Obi Toppin (minus-25) and Ben Sheppard (minus-16) also struggled.
Trailing 3-2, the Pacers have seen their NBA championship odds sink to +7500. Only Cleveland, down 3-1 to Boston, is a bigger longshot at +100000. Be sure to monitor those odds when making your NBA picks.
The Pacers roster should have been more energized than New York from the jump in Game 5. Instead, they squandered an early seven-point deficit and trailed at halftime for the first time this series. Consider that another lost opportunity for Rick Carlisle’s squad.
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