Knicks vs. Pacers NBA Betting Odds, Picks: Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith (knee) listed as questionable
The second round of the NBA Cup kicks off Friday night as two 0-1 teams meet in Indiana. The New York Knicks face the Pacers after both teams fell in their opening NBA Cup match last week. New York enters this one with a 6-5 record, good for fifth in the Eastern Conference; Indiana is just 4-8 and currently sits 11th in the East. New York went 3-1 against Indiana in the regular season last year, but each of those games ended within two points.
The Knicks had their four-game win streak snapped against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday in a 115-107 loss, as James Harden scored 32 points. On the flip side, the Pacers grabbed their first home win of the season on Wednesday, dismantling the Wizards 114-101. Pascal Siakam led the charge with 28 points.
Indiana will try to build on that win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Friday at 7 p.m. ET. You can watch this one on Amazon Prime and decide to fade or follow my picks.
Knicks vs. Pacers NBA Betting Odds
Indiana is an 8.5-point home underdog on the NBA odds; the moneyline has the Pacers at +250 and the Knicks at -310. The Over/Under sits at 219.5 with standard -110 juice on both sides.
New York is 4-7 against the spread, but their average margin of victory is 6.8 points (ninth in the NBA). The Pacers are 7-5 ATS, and they’ve covered in four of the last five games. Both teams have been cash cows for Under bettors. The Under is 4-8 in Indiana’s 12 games and 3-8 in New York’s 11 contests.
New York Knicks
This is a two-man show for New York; Jalen Brunson averages 26.0 points per game and 5.2 assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns is putting up 20.9 PPG, 13.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. The duo combined for 48 points against Cleveland, and KAT recorded his 11th consecutive double-double to open the year, tying Willis Reed’s franchise record, although that wasn’t enough to win.
Miles McBride tallied 19 points in the loss, and Landry Shamet scored 12, but they were the only true sparks off the bench. Josh Hart returned after an ankle injury and illness, but he scored just six points and was in foul trouble from the jump. I expect New York to slow this game down and rely on their defence; the Knicks allow just 103.5 PPG (second in the NBA), and Indiana scores 111.6 (20th in the NBA), so we could be in for a low-scoring affair.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers have not looked like the team that went to the NBA Finals two seasons ago, and Pascal Siakam is in dire need of help. The small forward averages 22.7 PPG, and Andrew Nembhard (17.1 PPG) has been the number two since Tyrese Haliburton has played in just four games (hamstring). The Pacers rank 20th in offensive rating, are shooting just 33.3 per cent from deep (24th in the NBA), and are 29th in the NBA in rebounding rate (46.9 per cent). This will be a major issue against a Knicks team that leads the league in that same category at 53.9 per cent.
Indiana is doing everything it can, but the injuries have piled up. Haliburton will likely miss 10+ days, and Ben Sheppard (meniscus) and Johnny Furphy (ACL) will miss this contest. Aaron Nesmith (knee) is also questionable after exiting Wednesday’s win early. His status is a major storyline to monitor, as he would likely be the Pacers’ main line of defence against Brunson.
NBA Prediction: Who Will Win Knicks vs. Pacers?
The Pacers picked up an impressive home win on Wednesday night against the Wizards, but they are still just 2-8 in their last 10 contests. New York doesn’t have nearly as many injury concerns, and this is a great bounce-back spot after they gave up 33 points in the fourth quarter against the Cavaliers.
The Knicks will have a major advantage on the glass, and they should pull away in the second half. Even if Siakam has a big game, he doesn’t have enough support to keep this game close, so I’ll gladly back the Knicks to win by 10+.
Best bet: Knicks -8.5
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