Last time the Indiana Pacers met the New York Knicks in the conference finals, they went on to beat them in six games, advancing to the NBA Finals to face the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal-led Los Angeles Lakers. Indiana can better that result tonight by closing out the Knicks in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.
Of course, their would-be Finals opponent, the Oklahoma City Thunder, is a very different type of team than that Lakers squad was, although no less dominant. But before the Pacers can think about that, they have to oust New York first, which will require solid play from the entire team, including center Myles Turner, whose free agency will be one of the stories of the summer.
Indiana is a four-point underdog at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the point total set for 223.5. Below, I’ve detailed my favorite prop bets centered around the Pacers’ man in the middle.
Best Myles Turner Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Myles Turner U5.5 Rebounds (-145)
Turner’s biggest weakness so far this series has been his absolute inability to compete on the glass, as he hasn’t had a six-board performance yet this series, snagging four or fewer in each of the last three games. That’s not to say he’s playing badly, since he’s been a critical part of Indiana’s victories. His low statistical output can be explained in part by the fact that he’s deferred 10 rebound chances already this series to allow Tyrese Haliburton or Pascal Siakam to initiate the offense — they lead all conference finalists in fast-break points — but he’s also been heavily contested on most of his rebound chances and has only come down with eight contested boards so far. With the Knicks spending more and more time in a double-big look with Karl-Anthony Towns playing alongside Mitchell Robinson, there will be fewer opportunities for Turner to crash the glass undisturbed.
Myles Turner O2.5 Steals + Blocks (-130)
While Turner has struggled on the glass, he has made his defensive impact felt, recording three or more combined steals and blocks in each of his last three games. New York has shot 44.8% within six feet of the basket so far this series with Turner as the nearest defender, the second-best mark among 24 conference finals participants who have guarded at least three shots at the rim per game. He has contested 8.3 shots per game, the fourth-most of any player these conference finals. Part of it is a question of volume, as the Knicks have attempted 40.4 shots per game either at the rim or from floater range, and those shots are more likely to be blocked. However, it’s also a matter of personnel; OG Anunoby and Towns were both among the six most-frequently blocked players during the regular season.
