Knicks vs Pacers Game 3 Picks, Odds | NBA Playoffs Prediction

Knicks vs Pacers Game 3 Picks, Odds | NBA Playoffs Prediction

The second round of the NBA Playoffs continues with an excellent 2-game slate on Friday night -- and the first matchup of the evening we'll preview is Knicks vs. Pacers Game 3, which is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The Pacers are 7.5-point home favorites on the spread in Friday's contest, while the total is set at over/under 222.5 total points at DraftKings.

Here's everything you need to know about Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Pacers and Knicks -- the latest betting odds, as well as our expert picks and prediction for the NBA Playoffs on Friday, May 10.

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Knicks vs Pacers Odds

NY @ IND Odds

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Knicks vs Pacers Picks & Prediction

The Knicks are a funky group. Nothing truly jumps off the screen at either end of the floor, ranked 7th in offensive rating and 10th in defensive rating. It’s a clunky offense. They play a ton of hero-ball with Jalen Brunson and heavily rely on offensive rebounding to boost production. Their defense is solid, but they are vulnerable down low with OG Anunoby and Josh Hart often combining to fill the power forward spot, while Isaiah Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson rotate at center.

However, when matched up against an Indiana squad that ranks 27th in points allowed per game (120.2) and 24th in defensive rating (118), none of that matters, highlighted by the Knicks shooting 55.4% from the field and 47.2% from 3-point range in the first two games of this series, equating to a monster offensive rating of 134.2 heading into Game 3.

With that in mind though, the Pacers certainly didn’t get this far based on pure luck. Indiana is an offensive juggernaut, ranked 1st in points per game (123.3) and 2nd in offensive rating (121), and that has remained true in this series, considering the Pacers shot 51.9% from the floor and 41.7% from 3-point range in the first two matchups of this series, equating to an even higher offensive rating (127.2) than they posted during the regular season.

Let’s take a trip back to the Pacers’ first round series against the Bucks. The only two games that stayed under the total in their previous series came on the road in Milwaukee. Game 1 went under at a score of 109-94 (U 230), and then Game 5 went under at a score of 115-92 (U 218). The other four matchups (three of them in Indiana), however, all soared over the total at a combined average of 232.3 total points, primarily propelled by the Pacers scoring 120+ points in all three of their home games. So, in some ways, the fact that they posted point totals of 117 and 121 in their first two road matchups against New York is somewhat promising as this series shifts locations to Indiana for Game 3.

I have no doubt Indiana will continue to score points throughout this series. The Pacers rank top-2 in both points per game and offensive rating, and their ability to play through contact and find ways to score despite the lack of whistles received on the road in the first two matchups of this series was really impressive, which equated to 119 points on north of 51% shooting. However, it still wasn’t enough to get the job done due to their poor defensive play, which in a lot of ways, has been the story of Indiana’s season in general.

Push comes to shove, I think we’ll see Indiana bounce back at home in Game 3, but the over still strikes me as the best play in this spot. Both teams own a considerable advantage on offense over the opposing defense in this series, and based on the events that transpired in Games 1 and 2, the scales appear to be slightly tilted toward New York. It will be interesting to see how the Pacers try to maximize their overall edge on the offensive side of the script moving forward. But either way, it should equate to a relatively high-scoring series the rest of the way. The over is 6-2 in Indiana’s eight playoff games thus far, which includes a perfect 3-0 mark at home. I expect that streak to stay alive in Game 3 of this series.

Pick: Over 222.5 (-110)

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Knicks vs Pacers Game Time & TV Channel

Date: Friday, May 10
Matchup: Atlantic vs. Central
Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Location: Indiana, IN
Time-TV: ESPN, 7:00 p.m. ET

Knicks vs Pacers Betting Stats

2) New York Knicks
(2nd Place, Atlantic)

  • Odds to Win Finals: +1400
  • Odds to Win Conference: +450
  • Odds to Win Series: -400
  • SU: 50-32
  • ATS: 44-37-1
  • O/U: 37-45
  • PPG: 112.8
  • OPPG: 108.2

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6) Indiana Pacers
(3rd Place, Central)

  • Odds to Win Finals: +10000
  • Odds to Win Conference: +2400
  • Odds to Win Series: +300
  • SU: 47-36
  • ATS: 45-37-1
  • O/U: 42-40
  • PPG: 123.3
  • OPPG: 120.2

NBA Playoffs Betting Resources