One half of the NBA Finals match-up is complete, and the Pacers can join the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday night with a win over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Of course, thanks to TV, we won’t start the NBA Finals until June 5. Way to kill any momentum.
Indiana leads the best-of-seven series 3-1. The Pacers haven’t made the NBA Finals since 2000. They made the ABA Finals five times (look it up) and won three titles. You know the old stat, just 13 teams in NBA history have come back from 3-1 down in the playoffs.
The Knicks have what it takes to come back. They should have won Game 1 and surged in Game 3. We’re just a few buckets from this series being 2-2. But what matters is the final score.
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Pacers at Knicks Game 5 Odds
In terms of how to bet this NBA Playoffs matchup, let’s start here — New York favored tonight back at home, by either four or 4.5 points. It’s the fourth time New York has been giving points in this series.
The winning team has won and covered all four games. In fact, in the last 10 meetings between these two teams, the winning team has covered. The Pacers are 10-4 against the spread in the playoffs. The Knicks are 9-7 against the spread.
In the series, games are 2-2 over/under, but one of the unders was by .5. Tonight’s total is 223. Indiana has won six straight road playoff games and is 22-17 as underdogs. Indiana has also won its last six games as road ‘dogs.
Pacers at Knicks Game 5 Preview
Everyone is thinking the same thing. The series has been closer than it looks. Indiana is due for a letdown tonight, and the MSG crowd will be fired up trying to boost the Knicks to keep the series alive.
New York has not had an answer for Tyrese Haliburton, who has averaged 24.3 points this series and put up a bonkers 32 point, 15 assist, and 12 rebound line in Game 4. But I mean, the Pacers haven’t exactly stopped Jalen Brunson for the Knicks either. He’s averaged 33 points this series.
Where the Pacers have won is by doing some of the little, smart things. They have outscored the Knicks 65-23 on fast break points this series. They seem to rotate around finding the hot player. It was Aaron Nesmith in Game 1, Pascal Siakam in Game 2, and Haliburton in Game 4.
There are injury concerns for the Knicks tonight. Karl-Anthony Towns is officially questionable after taking a hard shot to the knee late in Game 4. But I don’t think there’s any way he doesn’t play.
Pacers at Knicks Game 5 Prediction
I’m feeling cocky after last night when I sensed the Thunder were going to win big at home and they did. Thank you very much.
The common thought here is that this is one the Knicks will get. They’re home. It really has been a close series, and Indiana can afford to relax. I feel that too. Brunson could go for 50. Towns can do a Willis Reed (look it up), and we get a couple more days of this series.
But Indiana defies convention. The Knicks have failed to cover the spread in five of their last six games as home favorites. Playing at MSG gives Indiana an emotional boost, not a letdown. I’m not as firm on this as I was with the Thunder Wednesday night, but I see a Pacers win.
The Pick: Pacers +4.5 (-110 at Caesars)
