The Indiana Pacers will look to climb back into their series with the New York Knicks when they meet in a pivotal Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Friday. New York won both games on its home court, including a 130-121 victory on Wednesday, but will be without small forward OG Anunoby, who will miss the game with a strained left hamstring. Point guard Jalen Brunson is listed as questionable with a foot injury, but is expected to play. The Knicks (50-32), the second seed, are 25-19 on the road this season, including the 2024 NBA playoffs. The Pacers (47-35), the sixth seed, are 29-15 at home in 2023-2024, including the postseason. New York leads the all-time series 121-117, but Indiana holds a 22-21 edge in postseason games.
Tipoff from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis is set for 7 p.m. ET. Indiana is the 7-point favorite in the latest Knicks vs. Pacers odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 222.5. Before making any Pacers vs. Knicks picks, be sure to check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model entered the conference semifinals in the 2024 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 94-61 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,800. Anyone following the model has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Pacers and just locked in its picks and NBA playoff predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Pacers vs. Knicks:
- Knicks vs. Pacers spread: Indiana -7
- Knicks vs. Pacers over/under: 222.5 points
- Knicks vs. Pacers money line: Indiana -290, New York +235
- NYK: The Knicks have won 54 of their last 84 games (+20.40 units on ML)
- IND: The Pacers have hit the fourth quarter Under in 43 of their last 64 games (+18.80 units)
- Knicks vs. Pacers picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Pacers can cover
Power forward Pascal Siakam has helped lead the way for Indiana, and is coming off a near double-double. In Wednesday's loss at New York, he scored 14 points, while grabbing nine rebounds and adding two assists and a block. He had 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the first-round Game 6 120-98 close-out win over the Milwaukee Bucks on May 2. In eight postseason games, all starts, he is averaging 20.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and four assists in 37.5 minutes.
Center Myles Turner has also played well at times for the Pacers. He had two 29-point and nine-rebound performances in back-to-back wins over the Bucks in the first round. In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against New York, he scored 23 points, while adding three assists and two rebounds. In eight playoff games, all starts, he is averaging 18 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 blocks in 33.3 minutes. See which team to pick here.
Why the Knicks can cover
Although a bit shorthanded for Game 3, New York remains formidable. Even with Brunson slowed a bit by injury, he has been on fire. He had a four-game streak of 40 points or more snapped in Game 2, but he still managed 29 points, five assists, three steals and two rebounds in 32 minutes. In Game 1, he poured in 43 points, while adding six assists, six rebounds and one block. In eight postseason starts, Brunson is averaging 35.6 points, 8.1 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 42.4 minutes.
Shooting guard Josh Hart has doubled his productivity from the regular season to that in the postseason. In 81 regular-season games, he averaged 9.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists. In eight postseason starts, he is averaging 18 points, 12.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, one block and one steal. He registered his third consecutive double-double of the playoffs in Game 2 on Wednesday, scoring 19 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and adding seven assists in 48 minutes. See which team to pick here.
How to make Knicks vs. Pacers picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 229 combined points. It also says one side of the spread is the better value. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Knicks vs. Pacers, and which side of the spread is the better value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Knicks vs. Pacers spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned more than $2,800 on its NBA picks this season, and find out.
