With their season in jeopardy, the Knicks eked out a 106-100 win over the Pacers in Game 3. New York looked dead in the water right before halftime, trailing Indiana by 20 points. However, thanks to a late-game comeback (with Jalen Brunson on the bench), we now have a competitive series. The Knicks will hope to earn their second straight road win on Tuesday before heading back to Madison Square Garden. For the Pacers, a victory would place the team one game away from the NBA Finals.
Entering tonight’s contest, the Pacers are 2.5-point favorites, with the over/under set at 220.5 total points. Ahead of Game 4, here are the three best player props available on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Karl-Anthony Towns over 21.5 points (-125)
If one player was the driving force behind Sunday’s comeback, it was Karl-Anthony Towns. Nearing the end of the game, it actually looked like one of the big man’s worst performances in New York. However, KAT came alive in the fourth quarter, dropping 20 of his 24 total points en route to a Knicks victory. It was yet another spectacular showing this postseason for the center, who has thirved in the Big Apple. Over 15 playoff games, Towns is averaging 21.1 points and 11.3 rebounds while shooting 48.9% from the field.
On a squad dominated by Jalen Brunson, it can be difficult to keep everyone involved. However, Game 3 should send a loud signal to the Knicks: feed Towns. At this point, it’s apparent that nobody on the Pacers can truly guard the seven-footer. Over six meetings with Indiana this season, KAT has posted 28.3 points and 11.7 rebounds. In four of those six games, he’s managed to score at least 22 points. More involvement early should lead to more production from New York’s superstar tonight.
T.J. McConnell over 14.5 points + rebounds + assists (-105)
No player in today’s NBA better embodies the term ‘pest’ than T.J. McConnell. The backup guard is a constant nuisance, capable of harassing opposing back courts on both ends of the floor. That’s been the case in this series; the tenth-year pro has reached at least ten points in each of his last three games. McConnell can be difficult for bettors to trust due to a limited workload. However, few players are more productive on a per-minute basis.
It helps that McConnell has enjoyed plenty of success in this matchup. Over his last 13 games against the Knicks, going back to last postseason, he’s averaged 10.4 points, 5.0 assists and 2.2 rebounds. In eight of those contests, he’s compiled at least 15 points + rebounds + assists. The veteran has also reached that total in four of his last five games this month. Even on a limited workload, the Pacers should allow McConnell to take control of their offense tonight.
Obi Toppin under 8.5 points (-125)
Speaking of inconsistent rotation pieces, Obi Toppin has been less than stellar this series. Through three games, the former Knicks first-rounder has recorded a combined 20 points and 16 rebounds. More concerning, the power forward saw his workload decrease to only 14 minutes in Game 3. During that time, he put up eight points and four rebounds.
Toppin seeing his minutes fluctuate isn’t anything new. On a deep Pacers squad, it’s normal to see high variance in playing time for role players. However, this might not be a good matchup for the big man. New York has one of Karl-Anthony Towns or Mitchell Robinson on the court at almost all times. That’s forced Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle to utilize backup center Tony Bradley. An undersized, defensively-limited 4 doesn’t make for an ideal matchup against two seven-footers. Another low usage outing feels likelier than not for Toppin in Game 3.
