The New York Knicks head into their Eastern Conference playoff series against the Indiana Pacers as solid favorites to advance to the East Finals, offered at -245 odds on the series price at DraftKings. Underdog bettors can get the Pacers for +215 at Caesars Sportsbook.
Knicks vs. Pacers Game 1 odds have New York and Indiana , the total sitting at .
The Knicks played fantastic against the 76ers in the first round, winning the series 4-2. The only defeats in the series came when Joel Embiid had a 50-point game and Tyrese Maxey hit multiple miracle shots to win in Game 5. For the Pacers, they have not looked nearly as good, winning their series against a depleted Bucks team that played without Giannis Antetokounmpo. They won the series 4-2, but it took a career game from T.J. McConnell in Game 6 to finish it off.
The Eastern Conference semifinal series starts with New York hosting in Madison Square Garden on Monday. The three days of rest come at a great time for the Pacers, who will hope their star point guard Tyrese Haliburton can use the time to fully recover from the back spasms he has been troubled with. Monday's game will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT.
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Pacers vs. Knicks series price
The Knicks, coming off a first-round win over Philadelphia, begin the series as the favorites. The best value odds for the New York Knicks to win the series can be found at DraftKings (-225). You can find the best value odds for the Pacers to win the series at BetMGM (+240).
Pacers vs. Knicks Game 1 spread, total, moneyline
Check out the live odds for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Pacers vs, Knicks at the best online sports betting sites:.
Pacers vs. Knicks Game 1 prediction
The Knicks will be at home in Madison Square Garden for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The environment and crowd will give the Knicks the biggest home-court advantage we have seen in the playoffs. The home-court advantage should will be enough to power the Knicks to a Game 1 win, setting the tone for the series.
Taking a look at a breakdown of the matchups, though, much of it favors the Knicks. While the Pacers led the NBA in the regular season with 123.3 points per game, they ranked 24th out of 30 teams in the league for defensive rating. The Knicks rank ninth for team defensive rating, and while their offense loses a little with Julius Randle injured, their team is a top-five defense without him.
As for Game 1, expect Jalen Brunson to continue his hot scoring streak, going for over 40 points just as he did in the last three games of their series against the 76ers, and for the Knicks to win by double digits as their defense gives the Pacers all kinds of issues.
Prediction: Knicks
Pacers vs. Knicks series prediction
The Knicks battled in the first round against a 76ers team that was a lot better than your typical 7-seed. If they continue their high level of play, New York may actually find their matchup with the Pacers easier than the series they just won. This series has the Knicks as heavy favorites, and we think they win it in five games.
Best bet for Pacers vs. Knicks series: Knicks -1.5 games
A great future bet is the Knicks winning the series by 1.5 games at DraftKings (-145). This series shouldn't go past six games. If you like the Knicks in five, you can bet New York -2.5 (+165).
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