The sixth-seeded Indiana Pacers renew their postseason rivalry with the second-seeded New York Knicks when they meet in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup on Monday in the 2024 NBA playoffs. This will be the eighth playoff series between the teams, but first since 2013. The Pacers (47-35), who placed third in the Central Division this season, are 22-22 on the road in 2023-2024, including the postseason. The Knicks (50-32), who took second in the Atlantic Division, are 29-15 on their home court this year. The Knicks are without Julius Randle (shoulder) and Bojan Bogdanovic (foot), while Indiana won’t have Bennedict Mathurin (shoulder). Tyrese Haliburton (back) is listed as questionable for Indiana, though he didn’t miss any time with this injury in the last series.
Tipoff from Madison Square Garden in New York is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. New York leads the all-time series 119-117, but Indiana holds a 22-19 edge in the playoffs. The Knicks are 5.5-point favorites in the latest Pacers vs. Knicks odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 217. Before making any Knicks vs. Pacers picks, be sure to check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters the conference semifinals in the 2024 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 94-61 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,800. Anyone following the model has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Knicks vs. Pacers and just locked in its NBA playoff predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Pacers vs. Knicks:
- Knicks vs. Pacers spread: New York -5.5
- Knicks vs. Pacers over/under: 217 points
- Knicks vs. Pacers money line: New York -230, Indiana +188
- IND: The Pacers are 47-39-3 ATS this season
- NYK: The Knicks are 29-21 ATS this season when favored
- Knicks vs. Pacers picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Knicks can cover
Point guard Jalen Brunson has been red hot in the 2024 NBA playoffs. In six games, all starts, he is averaging 35.5 points, nine assists and 4.5 rebounds in 43.8 minutes of action. He has scored 39 or more points in each of the last four games, including a 41-point, 12-assist effort in the Game 6 series-clinching win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday. He posted three double-doubles in the series, including a 47-point and 10-assist effort in a 97-92 win at Philadelphia in Game 4.
Shooting guard Josh Hart posted three double-doubles in the first-round series win over the 76ers. In Game 6, he scored 16 points, while grabbing 14 rebounds and adding seven assists in 46 minutes. He had 21 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals in a 104-101 Game 2 win. For the postseason, he is averaging 16.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and one block in 46.3 minutes. See which team to pick here.
Why the Pacers can cover
Power forward Pascal Siakam had his way in the first-round series win over the injury-plagued Milwaukee Bucks. In six games, all starts, he averaged 22.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 37.8 minutes. Siakam had two double-doubles in the series, including a 36-point and 13-rebound performance in the 109-94 Game 1 loss at Milwaukee. He followed that up in Game 2 with 37 points and 11 rebounds as the Pacers earned a 125-108 victory.
Also helping lead the Indiana offense is Haliburton. The 24-year-old averaged 16 points, 5.8 rebounds and 9.3 assists in 36.3 minutes against the Bucks in the opening round as he battled back spasms. In the 120-98 Game 6 close-out win over Milwaukee, he scored 17 points, dished out 10 assists and grabbed six rebounds in 32 minutes. He registered a triple-double in a 121-118 overtime win over the Bucks in Game 3, scoring 18 points, while adding 16 assists and 10 rebounds. See which team to pick here.
How to make Pacers vs. Knicks picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 222 combined points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that hits in over 50% of simulations. You can only get the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Knicks vs. Pacers, and which side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Pacers vs. Knicks spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned more than $2,800 on its NBA picks this season, and find out.
