Knicks vs. Pacers: Betting Picks and Prediction for Game 3

The New York Knicks maintain a 2-0 series lead against the Indiana Pacers, but tonight's Game 3 will present new challenges for both sides.

Simply put, the Pacers cannot afford to go down 3-0. It's hard enough to win four straight playoff games, but when two of those potential games have a team suited as a visitor at MSG, that feat becomes near-impossible.

The pressure will be on for Indiana this evening, but some key injury news out of New York could help the Pacers rise to the occasion.

As the series moves to Indianapolis, will the Knicks continue to churn out wins despite a depleted roster, or can the Pacers make things interesting?

Let's break down this matchup and figure out which side we should back.

All NBA odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

NBA Playoffs Betting

Knicks-Pacers Betting Odds

Date and Time: Friday, May 10th at 7:00 p.m. ET

Spread: Pacers -7.0 (-112)

Total: 223.0

Moneyline:

• Knicks: +240
• Pacers: -290

Knicks vs. Pacers Advanced Stats Breakdown

nERD via numberFire. Adjusted offensive/defensive ratings and pace via DunksAndThrees.

• Knicks:
  • nERD: 61.3 (7th)
  • Adjusted Offensive Rating: 117.4 (8th)
  • Adjusted Defensive Rating: 112.8 (8th)
  • Pace: 95.7 (30th)
  • Against-the-Spread Record: 44-37-1
• Pacers:
  • nERD: 56.3 (14th)
  • Adjusted Offensive Rating: 120.1 (2nd)
  • Adjusted Defensive Rating: 117.9 (24th)
  • Pace: 102.1 (2nd)
  • Against-the-Spread Record: 44-35-3

Knicks vs. Pacers Best Bet

Pacers -7.0 (-112)

Following Wednesday's loss and the officiating league complaints that ensued, Game 3 was always going to be Indiana's for the taking.

With OG Anunoby (hamstring) now ruled out for New York, I feel confident in backing the Pacers to cover.

Anunoby will join Mitchell Robinson (ankle) on the sidelines, meaning there are just five players left on the Knicks who have participated in each postseason game.

While the "overrated" clamors are a somewhat fair shot at New York, we need to grant their starters credit for how they have handled an insane workload this postseason. The Knicks may be taking the hits in stride, but Anunoby's injury could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

Anunoby is known for his defensive prowess (second-best defensive rating in the NBA among players who average at least 25 minutes), but he's been super important on the offensive end, too. He scored a walloping 28 points in Game 2 despite missing the entire fourth quarter and can spread the floor whenever Jalen Brunson doesn't have his stuff.

He leads the Knicks in net rating and plus/minus (fifth-best in the NBA) by a pretty wide margin. But perhaps the most telling metric is New York's 30-29 record without OG and 26-5 record with him.

It's one thing to lose a great player like Anunoby. It's an entirely different headache to lose him on a team that is already short-staffed whilst taking on the marathon race that is Indiana.

The Pacers played at the second-fastest pace, scored the fourth-most fast break points, and scored the second-most transition points per game in the regular season.

Dominating the pace will be key for Indiana, and we have every reason to believe that they can do just that. Not only has that been their calling card all season, but they come in with a ton of bench depth that New York cannot match. Precious Achiuwa, who saw the floor in just two round-one games for a total of 30 minutes, will likely get the start in place of Anunoby.

Indiana went 3-0 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the first round, winning those games by an average margin of 12.7 points. I'm expecting a similar outcome tonight.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.