Will New York Begin The East Semifinals With a Win?
The Game 1 Pacers vs Knicks Betting Lines Favor The Knicks Heavily
The East Semifinal matchup between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers will tip-off tonight at 7:30 pm ET.
The Knicks are heading into this series as the favorites. But the Pacers are no easy task for the Knicks. The Pacers already went 2-1 against the Knicks in the NBA regular season and have the best offense in the NBA, statistically.
However, the Knicks are typically well-coached on the defensive end. They did some great things to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers. The Knicks ultimately allowed Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to do most of the scoring but shut down everyone else.
They forced Embiid’s hand, knowing he wasn’t 100% healthy, and made him work for every basket.
The Knicks will have a whole new defensive game plan against the Pacers. Indiana is much deeper than the 76ers and proved that in their series-clinching win against the Bucks. Obi Toppin and T.J. McConnell each scored 20+ points off the bench in the Game 6 win.
That said, the Knicks are currently sitting at -6 (-108) against the spread, while the total has jumped to 217 for Game 1 of the series.
Check out our analysis on the Pacers vs Knicks betting lines for Game 1 of the East Semifinals matchup.
Pacers vs Knicks 
Day/Time:
Records: Pacers (47-35)/Knicks (50-32)
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Streaming: TNT
Pacers vs Knicks Betting Lines & Trends
While the Pacers won two NBA games against the Knicks earlier in this season, the Knicks are 6-4 against Indiana over the last ten matchups.
The Knicks have also gone 6-4 against the spread, while the total has hit the Over and Under in five games each over the last ten head-to-head meetings.
The Knicks and Pacers both had high winning percentages against the spread this season. However, the Pacers hit the over five more times than the Knicks.
However, what stood out the most was the Pacers’ road record. Indiana was just 22-23 on the road this season, while the Knicks went 29-15 at home. This is another reason why the Pacers vs Knicks betting lines favor the Knicks in Game 1.
Are The Pacers Exceeding Expectations?
Indiana wasn’t expected to beat the Milwaukee Bucks in this year’s playoffs. However, with NBA injuries to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, the Pacers escaped the Bucks and advanced to the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
It’s a fun story for the Pacers. But this didn’t come out of nowhere. The Pacers played in the Finals of the NBA In-Season Tournament against the Lakers.
While Indiana lost that game, the Pacers proved they could hang with just about anyone in the league when it mattered the most.
In addition, the Pacers recognized this after the In-Season Tournament. The Pacers acquired Pascal Siakam from the Raptors by the NBA Trade Deadline. Siakam has become a force with the Pacers and has fit in perfectly.
Ultimately, the Pacers added a star player to an NBA team that had already won the Eastern Conference side of things in the In-Season Tournament.
Jimmy Butler Blasted The Knicks
Jimmy Butler was caught on camera acknowledging that Boston would be at home if he played. He also said New York would “damn sure” be home. Butler paused and was asked about Josh Hart and the Knicks. He said, “Josh Hart? Come on, man.”
Butler said he loves head coach Tom Thibodeau but wanted to beat him to a pulp. However, the Heat are no longer on the NBA Playoff schedule heading to the second round.
At this point, all of this is talk. Butler and the Heat are no longer in the playoffs after Butler’s injury kept him out of the first round against the Celtics.
Read on to see our free NBA picks for Game 1 of the East Semifinal match that Jimmy Butler and the Heat won’t be a part of.
How Will Game 1 Go?
The Knicks finished the 76ers with their best offensive output of the playoffs. New York added 131.1 points per 100 possessions and gained 38.9% of offensive rebounds with only 10% of turnovers in the game.
The Knicks also shot a 53.8% effective field goal percentage, the second-highest in the playoffs against the 76ers.
However, the Knicks needed all of that offense because the defense allowed the 76ers 127.8 points per 100 possessions.
New York will essentially appreciate the fewer foul calls. The Pacers don’t get to the foul line nearly as much as the 76ers in the season or the playoffs.
However, the Pacers typically shoot lights out from the field and are one of the most efficient offensive teams remaining the NBA Playoffs.
The Pacers scored at least 124.7 points per 100 possessions in four of the last five games against the Bucks. While the Pacers only had one game with more than 27% of offensive rebounds, Indiana limited turnovers to no more than 10.3% in four of the last five games.
They also shot an effective field goal percentage of 62.3% or better in three of the last five games.
The Bucks were never terrific defensively under Doc Rivers. However, the Knicks have way more potential to get stops against the Pacers. Indiana won’t add many second-chance opportunities or grab many offensive rebounds.
Therefore, the Pacers will have to shoot well from the field. But that’s a major challenge shooting at a high percentage in Madison Square Garden in front of that fanbase.
On the road, the Pacers will need to play almost perfectly. They’ll have to keep their turnovers down and shoot at a very high percentage. Only the Pacers can win the game outright if they can do those things.
On the other hand, the Pacers never defended well against the Bucks. In Game 6, the Pacers held Milwaukee to 106.8 points per 100 possessions. But in all other games, the Pacers allowed at least 113 points per 100 possessions.
The Knicks should be well-equipped offensively, with more second chances and more foul calls that go their way. Over the last two games for the Pacers, the Bucks added at least 33.3% of offensive rebounds, for example.
The Knicks can beat the Pacers even if shots don’t fall consistently. The Pacers will struggle if shots don’t fall in this game.
Therefore, let’s go with an NBA against the spread bet with the at Knicks -6 (-108).
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