The only guarantee when the Knicks and Pacers play? No lead is safe.
Indiana drew first blood with a jaw-dropping comeback in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. New York got revenge on Sunday, battling back from 20 points down to avoid a 3-0 series deficit. Now, these two historic rivals will battle it out in Game 4; what is the betting public expecting tonight?
The Pacers enter Tuesday’s contest as 2.5-point favorites over the Knicks, with the over/under set at 220.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Betting Splits
Bets are fairly even heading into this matchup, especially when it comes to the moneyline. 51% of the handle is supporting the Pacers, but 52% of all wagers have been placed with the Knicks. It’s not exactly surprising that opinions would be split heading into Game 4. In this series, Indiana is outscoring New York by just two points.
As previously mentioned, all three Eastern Conference Finals games have been nail biters. The Pacers might be favored, but a 2.5-point spread suggests that anything could go down on Tuesday. 54% of the handle and 63% of all bets are supporting an Indiana cover tonight. However, the Knicks are 9-6 against the spread this postseason.
Game 4’s point total is set at 220.5 points, a direct response to Sunday’s 106-100 slugfest. Typically, these two clubs are more than capable of putting up buckets. The Knicks and Pacers have combined for at least 221 points in six of their last seven meetings. However, they went under that total in four of seven matchups during the 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals.
Most Popular Player Props
Here are the five player props in tonight’s matchup receiving the most bets:
- Jalen Brunson over 29.5 points (-120)
- Jalen Brunson 30+ points (-120)
- Pascal Siakam over 6.5 rebounds (-145)
- Miles McBride under 7.5 points (-110)
- Tyrese Haliburton under 35.5 points + rebounds + assists (-120)
If the Knicks had lost Game 3, plenty of blame would have gone towards Jalen Brunson. The NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year was anything but that on Sunday, scoring just 23 points on 6-of-18 shooting. Part of the guard’s difficulty was due to early foul trouble, forcing him to the bench for most of the fourth quarter. However, JB is still one of the game’s best playoff performers. This postseason, the guard is averaging 29.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. With numbers such as those, it’s reasonable to expect a bounce-back performance from the All-Star on Tuesday.
It’s been a mixed bag for Pascal Siakam this series. Games 1 and 3 weren’t exactly highlights for the power forward. During both contests, he scored a total of 34 points on 46.7% shooting from the field. However, he did drop 39 points in Game 2, leading the Pacers to a win. Clearly, the Cameroonian can score, but it’s his rebounding that’s generated the most attention tonight. Siakam has grabbed seven or more boards in just four of his 13 outings this postseason.
It’s no secret that Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau loves to give his starters heavy minutes. Still, it was backup Miles McBride that gave the Knicks a boost in Game 3. With Brunson in foul trouble, Deuce was utilized heavily in the third and fourth quarters. The guard’s stellar play on both ends of the floor proved crucial in spurring on New York’s late game comeback. Following a rough first round series against Detroit, the 24-year-old has scored at least nine points in four of his five previous outings. Indiana’s uptempo play style lends itself to extra possessions for both teams; that could be a major boon to McBride.
Finally, we round out the list with none other than Tyrese Haliburton. Since Game 1’s epic 31-point performance, the 25-year-old has scored a combined 34 points on 38.7% shooting. However, he’s remained heavily involved with 18 total assists during that time. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess as to what kind of production the All-Star will deliver in Game 4. The Pacers are a well-oiled machine on offense, capable of scoring with or without their starters on the floor. Keeping that in mind, the betting public is fading Indiana’s face of the franchise on Tuesday.
