Bet on Pacers to Beat Odds, Knicks in Game 2

The Pacers were close to taking the home-court advantage from the Knicks and are hoping to do that with a Game 2 win. Indiana was able to bounce back from a 1-0 deficit to take its first-round series from the favored Milwaukee Bucks in six games.

The Pacers won the regular-season series between these two teams, including a victory at Madison Square Garden in the last matchup in February. This is the eighth time these two franchises have met in the postseason, with Indiana winning four of the previous seven series.

The NBA odds for Game 2 favor the Knicks to come out on top again,as they’re giving 4½ points to the Pacers. A moneyline wager will get you New York at -185 for a straight-up win, while Indiana is listed at +160.

The over/under for Wednesday’s game is set at 220 points, with -110 odds on either side of that bet.

Pacers vs Knicks Head-to-Head

Pacers vs Knicks Odds and Spreads

Pacers vs Knicks Betting Trends

• Indiana is 2-6 straight-up in its last eight games on the road against New York.
• The Knicks are 3-6 ATS in their last nine games.
• The total has gone over in five of New York’s last seven games against the Pacers.
• Indiana is 4-1 ATS in its last five games against the Knicks.
• New York is 12-5-1 ATS in its last 18 games played on a Wednesday.

Pacers Must Keep Pushing The Pace

Indiana is known for its uptempo offense, and it needs to continue to try to wear down a Knicks squad that has less depth with such a compact schedule for this series. New York will only get a day off between each game until the end of the series, which will favor the Pacers. Indiana had four bench players play a total of 72 minutes in Game 1, compared to the Knicks’ three reserves playing just 27 minutes.

The fast break is also the easiest way for the Pacers to get easy looks at the basket against one of the more difficult halfcourt defenses in basketball, with point guards Tyrese Haliburton and TJ McConnell able to weave through defenders in transition. Haliburton had just six points in the opener, though he dished out eight assists, while McConnell had 18 points off the bench.

Indiana lost Game 1 in Milwaukee with its worst offensive performance of the season to that point but rebounded with a big Game 2 effort to tie the series up. The Pacers are hoping for a repeat of that in Game 2 of this series and they feel confident despite the opening loss.

“Playing in an arena like this, having it come down to the last couple of possessions on the road in the playoffs, what more can you ask for?” McConnell said after Game 1. “The ball didn’t bounce our way. We just got to adjust and fix some things.”

While Haliburton didn’t score in double figures, six other Pacers did, led by Myles Turner’s 23 points. Turner had just two rebounds in the game, however, and Indiana was outboarded by the smaller Knicks, 40-32. The Pacers must make a better effort in securing defensive rebounds as New York had eight offensive boards in the contest, leading to some key second-chance points.

Knicks’ Formula of Riding Player Props King Brunson Works

Though he didn’t want to focus on it, Jalen Brunson continues to have a historic run of scoring efforts in these playoffs. The All-Star guard had 43 points in Game 1, becoming just the fourth player in league history to score 40 or more points in four straight postseason contests. The other three? Jerry West with six, and Bernard King and Michael Jordan, who each had four-game streaks.

“The little things can go a long way,” Brunson said after the win. “So yeah, the 40 points are cool and all, but it’s the little things that help us win games like that. So I’m just happy to have the group of guys that I do.”

That group of guys stepped up to help Brunson in the scoring department in Game 1, with Josh Hart finishing with 24 points and Donte DiVincenzo scoring 25, including the tiebreaking 3-pointer with just 40 seconds to play in the game.

KNICKS WIN!! pic.twitter.com/fo6KVtx6DS

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 7, 2024

The Villanova trio was tough on the defensive end as well when it was needed, and Hart ruled the backboards with 13 rebounds to go with eight assists. All three players were ironmen in the game, with Hart playing all 48 minutes while DiVincenzo and Brunson logged 44 and 43½ minutes, respectively.

As stated above, the Knicks are going to be riding with their starters for much of the game, so those three in particular have to be able to stay out of foul trouble. New York wants to hold onto the home-court advantage, so it will need another superlative effort from not just Brunson but also Hart and DiVincenzo in Game 2 as well.

Pacers Even Things Up

Indiana had a chance at taking Game 1 despite a subpar performance from Haliburton. Look for him to rebound and play much better in Wednesday’s contest.

The Knicks had to have everything go right to come away with the win in Game 1, but they won’t be so lucky in Game 2. In what should be a constant theme in this series, the road team is going to come out on top. Making your NBA betting on the visiting Pacers to come out on top in Game 2 in another high-scoring affair that hits the over.

Question Of The Day

The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.