The Indiana Pacers have the New York Knicks on the ropes. After coming into the Eastern Conference Finals as a relatively heavy favorite, New York now must win or go to Cancun.
The entire ethos instilled by Tom Thibodeau argues Madison Square Garden should enjoy a win tonight. If that is the case, who will lead the way?
My Pacers vs. Knicks props picks look to the obvious case, even if this seems like doubt in Jalen Brunson on the surface. Tip comes at 8 ET on Thursday, May 29.
Best Pacers vs Knicks props
Brunson Under 2.5 3-pointers (-135)- Towns Over 1.5 3-pointers (-125)
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Haliburton Under 9.5 assists (-105)
Pacers vs Knicks player props for May 29
Jalen Brunson Under 2.5 3-pointers (-135 at bet365)
Jalen Brunson has played better in this series than perhaps given credit for. Averaging 33.25 points against a defense as good as the Indiana Pacers should be applauded. And yes, Indiana has an excellent defense, even if it its offense commands more attention.
In particular, the Pacers’ defense limits opponents’ 3-point looks, and that cuts into what Brunson does best. He shot 38.3% from deep this season on 6.1 attempts per game. Brunson helped shoot the New York Knicks past Boston by hitting three 3's per game on 39.1% shooting.
But now he faces a defense that ranked No. 4 in opposing 3-point percentage after the All-Star Break at an impressive 34.5%. Just as notably, opponents took 3s on only 39.0% of their shots against Indiana after the All-Star Break, the third-lowest rate in the NBA.
The looks from deep simply are not there against a long defense led by Tyrese Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith. It is not a knock on Brunson that he has fallen short of this prop in three of the four games in the Eastern Conference Finals. If anything, he should get some credit for not shooting haphazardly.
He knows he needs to drive to score against Indiana. Brunson is hardly hunting for 3's anymore, smartly so.
Karl-Anthony Towns Over 1.5 3-pointers (-125 at bet365)
Few players in the NBA can truly shoot from deep no matter the opponent. There is just nothing a defense can do to actually deny Karl-Anthony Towns those looks. The only person who denies those shots is Towns himself, long a criticism of his offense given how well he shoots.
Even in this series, against Indiana’s outstanding perimeter defense, Towns has hit 10 of 22 shots from long range, 45.5%.
Towns has fallen short of this prop in just one of four games in this round, when he went 1-of-2 in Game 4. Again, the only person who denies those shots is Towns himself. Assuredly, one of the coaching points in the last 48 hours has been to encourage Towns to shoot more.
He may be the only Knick who can do so reliably against the Pacers.
Tyrese Haliburton Under 9.5 assists (-105 at bet365)
Consider this a bet on a slight letdown. Indiana may not go all out tonight. It would be only human nature. On the road and up 3-1 in the series, the Pacers know tonight is not their make-or-break moment.
If Indiana is at all at ease, that will show up in its offensive aggression. We have seen that three times already this postseason. In each series, the Pacers went up 2-0 and then lost Game 3. In the first two rounds, they lost decisively. And a fourth-quarter lull turned this round’s Game 3 from a comfortable win into a frustrating loss.
Haliburton had 10 assists in the loss to the Bucks, five in the loss to the Cavs and seven in the loss to the Knicks. When Indiana is not pressing the gas with abandon, it shows up in Haliburton’s playmaking.
This is human. Even with the Finals on the horizon, a letdown would be human.
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Pacers vs Knicks betting resources
- Pacers vs. Knicks prediction
- Pacers vs. Knicks same-game parlay
- Pacers vs. Knicks first basket picks
- Jalen Brunson picks
- Tyrese Haliburton picks
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