Knicks vs. Pacers NBA Expert Prediction and Odds for NBA Playoffs Game 3
By Reed Wallach
The New York Knicks have opened a 2-0 series lead on the Indiana Pacers as the series flips to Indiana on Friday night.
Amidst injury concerns up and down the roster, the Knicks will look to make it three straight wins over the Pacers, who have been able to lead at halftime of both games but falter late behind excellent play from Jalen Brunson.
The Knicks continue to face injury questions, set to be without OG Anunoby and Bruson suffering an apparent injury in the first half of Game 2 before returning to play the entire second half.
This line has tilted towards Indiana in a big way, let’s break down this pivotal Game 3.
Knicks vs. Pacers Odds, Spread and Total
Spread
- Knicks: +7 (-110)
- Pacers: -7 (-110)
Moneyline
- Knicks: +260
- Pacers: -320
Total: 222.5 (Over -110/Under -110)
Knicks vs. Pacers How to Watch
- Date: Friday, May 10th
- Game Time: 7:00 PM EST
- Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
- How to Watch (TV): ESPN
- Series Score: Knicks lead 2-0
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Knicks vs. Pacers Injury Reports
Knicks Injury Report
- Jalen Brunson - foot - questionable
- OG Anunoby - hamstring - OUT
- Mitchell Robinson - ankle - OUT
- Bojan Bogdanovic - wrist, foot - OUT
Pacers Injury Report
- Tyrese Haliburton - back - questionable
Knicks vs. Pacers Key Players to Watch
New York Knicks
Jalen Brunson: Brunson missed the entire second quarter with an apparent foot injury, but returned to finish with 29 points, including a handful of clutch buckets to close out Indiana in Game 2. The Pacers haven’t found an answer for Brunson just yet, but can he keep it up with Anunoby set to miss this game and even more pressure on him to create after posting a playoff-high 36% usage rate thus far.
Indiana Pacers
Tyrese Haliburton: Haliburton responded to a dismal effort in Game 1 by being more aggressive in the first half of Game 2, scoring 22 points and making five three-point shots, but quieted as the game went on. Can Haliburton find more consistency at home?
Knicks vs. Pacers Prediction and Pick
While the Knicks have won the first two games of the series, it hasn’t been a dominant effort in either as the Pacers have proven to be more than capable to hang with New York.
However, the Knicks have found offensive rebounds at a high clip and late-game shot making that the Pacers have lacked.
What’s very apparent, though, is that the game plan is far different for each team. The Knicks are essentially running a seven-man rotation, which is now six that Anunoby is set to miss Game 3 and likely beyond, while the Pacers have leaned on its depth and speed to push the pace. The team has had big contributions from the likes of Obi Toppin, T.J. McConnell and Ben Sheppard to keep the pace up for a full 48 minutes.
Will this pace wear down the Knicks, who are running out of healthy bodies?
Time will tell, but the Pacers are in desperate need of a win after squandering two winnable games at Madison Square Garden.
I’m not interested in backing Indiana to blow out the Knicks, this line is incredibly inflated on the idea that the team down 2-0 will play better in front of a rowdy home crowd, but I do like the Pacers offense to continue its fine play.
Win or lose, I expect this game to continue being played on Indiana’s terms, which means we can count on points.
The Pacers went over 115.5 in both games in losses, scoring 117 and 121, I like the hosts to do it again.
PICK: Pacers Team Total OVER 115.5 (-104)
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.