The New York Knicks (50-32) travel to face off against the Indiana Pacers (47-35) on Sunday, May 12th. This game will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and televised on ABC. The Pacers are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Knicks are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Knicks. Tip-off is set for 3:30 ET.
Knicks vs Pacers
The Pacers picked up a 111-106 win over the Knicks in the most recent game of this series. Indiana was favored by seven points at home, so they did not cover the spread. Heading into the 4th quarter, the Knicks were up 90-85. The over/under line for the game was 221.5 points, and the teams fell just short of that with a combined 217 points.
Indiana won the 1st and 4th quarters of this game, with the Knicks taking the 2nd and 3rd. Tyrese Haliburton and Donte DiVincenzo each had 35 points to lead their respective teams. Haliburton added seven assists and four rebounds, and he hit six threes. The Knicks shot 51.9% from three, which was above their season average.
Knicks Offense Breakdown
Julius Randle is out for the Knicks, and he was averaging 24 points per game. Jalen Brunson is averaging 28.7 points per game for the season and 35.8 over his last five games. In these games, he shot 48.8% from the field. Bojan Bogdanovic and OG Anunoby are also out for the Knicks.
New York comes into the game as the NBA’s slowest-paced team, averaging 94.8 possessions per game. Their average of 112.8 points per contest is 19th in the league. The Knicks have been slightly better on the road, at 113.9 points per game compared to 111.5 at home.
Pacers Offense Breakdown
Indiana comes into the game as the NBA’s top-scoring offense, at 123.3 points per game. They have been even better at home, where they are averaging 125 points per contest. The Pacers are also one of the faster-paced teams in the league, averaging 101.2 possessions per game.
Tyrese Haliburton has been playing well for the Pacers of late, averaging 21.6 points per game in his last five games. In these games, he hit 40.4% of his threes. Pascal Siakam is averaging 18 points per game in his last five games, to go along with 6.6 rebounds. For the season, Siakam is averaging 21.7 points and 7.1 rebounds.
Knicks Team Defense
On the season, the Knicks have been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, ranking 5th in points allowed per game at 108.5. Their defense has been even better on the road, where they are giving up just 111.1 points per game, which is 8th in the league.
Over their last five games, the Knicks have seen a slight dip in their defensive numbers, allowing 115.2 points per game. During that stretch, opponents have shot 40.2% from three-point range.
Throughout the season, opponents have made fewer threes than their season average in 65.9% of games vs. the Knicks. Overall, New York is 11th in three-point shooting percentage allowed at 36.4%.
Pacers Team Defense
When it comes to defending the three-point line, the Pacers have been the best in the league, allowing opponents to shoot just 36.8% from beyond the arc. In fact, they are giving up the fewest made threes per game (10.8) and are also first in three-point attempts allowed per game (29.4).
Overall, Indiana’s defense has struggled this season, ranking 27th in points allowed per game (119.5). However, they have been slightly better at home (117.8 ppg, 26th) compared to on the road (121.2 ppg, 28th).
So far this season, opponents have scored more than their season average in 73.2% of their games vs. the Pacers. However, they have done a good job of keeping teams off the free-throw line, ranking 30th in made free throws allowed per game (25.6).
Key Players For The Knicks And Pacers
In today’s game, we anticipate Jalen Brunson leading the scoring for the Knicks, contributing 30 points while shooting 11/22 from the field. For the season, he has been averaging 28.7 points per game, in addition to 3.6 rebounds.
On the other side, Pascal Siakam is our projected leading scorer for the Pacers. We have him ending the game with a team-high 22 and grabbing 7 rebounds. This season, he has put together a field goal percentage of 53.6%, and he is contributing 21.7 points per game on average.
Knicks vs Pacers Trends
- Through their last ten road contests, the Knicks offense has averaged 112 points per game while allowing an average of 112. New York posted an overall record of 5-5 while going 6-4 ATS.
- When looking at their past ten home matchups, Indiana has an ATS record of 4-6 while averaging 115 per game. The team went 3-7 overall in these games.
- New York has done well both straight up and vs the spread as the underdog, going 2-1 SU and 2-1 ATS in their last three games.
- As the betting favorite, the Pacers have an ATS mark of just 5-5 in their last ten games. Indiana posted a straight up mark of 8-2 in these matchups.
Knicks vs Pacers Prediction
For a pick on the point-spread in this Pacers vs. Knicks matchup, our bet is to grab the Knicks at +5.5. Even though our projections have the Pacers winning 113-111, we see the Knicks as the play on the point-spread.
Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 217.5 and given that our model is projecting 224 points between the teams, we like the over.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:May 12, 2024 Knicks, Pacers