INDIANA PACERS VS. NEW YORK KNICKS ODDS & PREDICTIONS FOR MAY 14, 2024

Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA playoff coverage here at Latest Basketball News. One of the games on tap from tonight’s slate features the Indiana Pacers (53-40 SU, 49-41-3 ATS) taking on the New York Knicks (56-36 SU, 49-42-1 ATS). 

Here is a look at which squad has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Tipoff

• When: Tuesday, May 14, 2024
  
• Time: 8:00 PM ET
  
• Where: Madison Square Garden
  
• Location: New York City, NY
• TV: TNT

Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks Odds (Via DraftKings)

Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks – How We Got Here & Betting Trends

The Indiana Pacers returned home down 0-2 in their conference semifinal matchup against the New York Knicks. But despite the deficit, the team knew they had played well enough to steal one, if not both, of the road games in New York. 

With their postseason hopes on the line, they answered the call with a 111-106 victory in game 3, trimming the series deficit to 2-1. And in Game 4, the Pacers elevated their game to a higher level, jumping out to a 20-point lead (34-14) after the first 12 minutes of action. The rest of the game was a mere formality, as the home team ran away with a 121-89 victory, knotting the series at two games apiece. 

Tyrese Haliburton was one of three starters who scored in double figures. He finished with 20 points on 8-for-15 shooting overall while shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc (4-for-10). He also added six rebounds and five assists. 

Pascal Siakam finished with 14 points (7-for-9 FG) and four rebounds. Myles Turner contributed 13 points and five rebounds, connecting on all five of his shot attempts, including a 3-for-3 effort from long range. 

While the Pacers cruised to an easy victory, Haliburton understands that the series is far from over. 

“It just feels good to get a win, but we have to understand that at the end of the day, all we did is our job and win two games at home,” Haliburton said via CBS Sports. “We understand the magnitude of Game 5, and we’ll be prepared for that.”

As for as the Knicks are concerned, they got trounced in Game 4. After falling behind by 20 points early, the road team offered little resistance the rest of the way. Jalen Brunson led the starting five with 18 points and five assists. However, he was 6-for-17 from the floor and missed each of his five attempts from the 3-point line. 

Donte DiVincenzo, who has been playing well in this series – averaging 29.3 PPG through the first three contests – was limited to just seven points on 3-for-13 shooting and a forgettable 1-for-6 effort from deep. 

How bad was it for New York? Well, their leading scorer in this game was Alec Burks. He scored 20 points in 23 minutes of action. To put this stat into perspective, we must remember that he scored a combined 14 points in 22 minutes of action in Games 2 and 3. 

In addition to allowing 121 points, the Knicks were just as bad from a scoring standpoint. They shot 33.7 percent from the field and converted just seven of their 37 attempts from beyond the arc. 

The Knicks are missing several players due to injury, but the team refuses to use that as an excuse for its recent setback. 

“Yeah, we’re short-handed, but that doesn’t matter right now,” Brunson said after the game. “We have what we have, and we need to go forward with that. So, there is no ‘We’re short-handed.’ There is no excuse. There’s no excuse whatsoever. If we lose, we lose.”

If the Knicks are unable to regain the urgency they showed in the first two games, they are in danger of losing this series. 

Now that we have set the stage for this pivotal Game 5 showdown, let’s examine the betting trends for both sides. 

The Picks

The Spread

Despite losing by 32 points in Game 4, the Knicks come into this matchup as a slight 2.5-point favorite (per BleacherNation.com). Here is a look at how both ball clubs have fared against the spread this season. 

• The Pacers are 12-2-1 ATS in their last 15 Tuesday night games.
• Indiana is 6-4 SU and 5-5 against the spread across its last 10 contests.
• The Knicks are 5-2 ATS in their last seven May games.
• New York is 2-5 ATS in its last seven Tuesday night games.
• Like the Pacers, the Knicks are 6-4 SU and 5-5 against the spread in their last 10 outings.

The Knicks have been favored to win by 2.5 points or more 38 times this season. In those contests, their against-the-spread record is 23-14-1. Conversely, the Pacers are 19-12-2 against the spread in the 33 instances they were an underdog by at least 2.5 points. 

Yes, the Knicks are at home, and the home team has won every game of this series thus far. However, due to several players being out and/or limited by injuries, look for the Pacers to win in a close one. 

Prediction: Indiana Pacers (+2.5)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 217.5 points. The line has moved to 215 points at the time of this writing (per Pre-Game.com). Here is why going with the “over” is the smart choice. 

• In the Pacers’ last 15 games, the total has gone OVER 11 times.
• The OVER total has cashed in 10 times in Indiana’s last 14 matchups against Eastern Conference opponents.
• In eight of the Pacers’ last 10 May games, the OVER total prevailed eight times.
• In New York’s last six clashes against Indiana, the OVER total prevailed four times.
• The OVER total is 15-5 in the Knicks’ last 20 outings.
• The total has gone OVER 14 times in New York’s last 19 matchups against Eastern Conference teams. 

Prediction: OVER 215 points

Player Prop Bets

With Tyrese Haliburton being listed as questionable due to an assortment of injuries, Pascal Siakam, who leads the team in scoring at 20.7 PPG, becomes the key player to watch for the Pacers. He currently has -125 odds of scoring more than 19.5 points and +105 odds of finishing with less than 19.5 points. 

Here is a look at how his numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup. 

• Siakam is averaging 21.6 points per contest during the regular season and playoffs.
• In eight games against the Knicks this season, he has averaged 18.9 points per contest.
• During the postseason, he is averaging 20.7 points per outing.
• Siakam has played against Eastern Conference teams 58 times this season (including the playoffs). In those contests, he is averaging 21.9 points per outing.
• In 24 matchups against Atlantic Division opponents, the Pacers forward is averaging 20.3 points per game.
• Over his last 10 outings, Siakam has averaged 20.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest, exceeding the points total for this matchup three times during that stretch.

Prediction: Pascal Siakam OVER 19.5 points

On the other side of this matchup, despite being held to his lowest scoring output of the series in Game 3 (18 points), Jalen Brunson is averaging 29 points per contest through the first four games, which makes him the key player to watch for the home team. He currently has +100 odds of scoring more than 32.5 points and -120 odds of finishing with less than 32.5 points. 

Do Brunson’s numbers favorably compare to the estimated points total for this matchup? Let’s look at the tale of the tape to find out. 

• Brunson is averaging 29.2 points per contest during the regular season and playoffs.
• In seven games against the Pacers this season, he has averaged 31.9 points per contest.
• During the postseason, Brunson is averaging 32.9 points per outing.
• Brunson has played against Eastern Conference teams 60 times this season (including the playoffs). In those contests, he is averaging 29.3 points per outing.
• In 22 matchups against Central Division opponents, the Knicks’ point guard is averaging 32.2 points per game.
• Over his last five outings, Brunson has averaged 32.9 points and 7.6 assists per contest, exceeding the points total for this matchup five times during that stretch.

Prediction: Jalen Brunson OVER 32.5 points

James Tillman’s Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks Game 1 Picks

• The Spread: Indiana Pacers (+2.5) Bleacher Nation
  
• Over/Under: OVER 215 points (Pre-Game.com)
• Player Prop Bet #1: Pascal Siakam OVER 19.5 points
• Player Prop Bet #2: Jalen Brunson OVER 32.5 points