Filip Tomic
The Knicks will be desperate to rebound and fall in an 0-2 hole as they host the Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. I successfully cashed my Pacers vs Knicks Same Game Parlay for Game 1 at +348 odds and I’m hoping to carry that momentum into Game 2 on Friday night. Tip-off is set for 8:00 pm ET on TNT, so let’s break down each leg. In addition, make sure you find out our NBA picks for tonight’s Pacers vs Knicks game as well as every matchup in the Conference Finals.
Knicks ML (-250)
OG Anunoby to score 20+ points (+220)
Mitchell Robinson to record 8+ rebounds (+126)
Pacers vs Knicks Same Game Parlay odds: +636
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New York Knicks ML over Indiana Pacers (-250)
Although it’s only Game 2, this feels like pretty much a must-win situation for the Knicks, who cannot afford to lose another game before the series moves to Indy for the next couple. Game 1 saw them build multiple double-digit leads, including one with just a couple of minutes left in the game, but the comeback kings were able to pull off the impossible and win in OT. They had an unexpected hero in Aaron Nesmith, who drained 8 threes. But as good as that performance was, I do not believe he has it in him to do it in back-to-back games.
I’m hoping to see a different approach by the Knicks in Game 2, as their head coach Tom Thibodeau has been involved in a ton of games like these so he will know what adjustments need to be made. One of them is certainly to slow down the tempo of the game, as Indiana is at their best when things go out of control on offense. The other one would be to involve the bench a bit more, as the Pacers won that battle 31-17 in Game 1. Defensively, the Knicks have to slow down Haliburton, especially at the beginning of the game, as he had 5 assists in the 1st quarter of Game 1. I expect the crowd at MSG to once again be at the top of their game, which should help carry the Knicks to a very important win in Game 2.
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OG Anunoby to score 20+ points (+220)
Getting 43 points from Jalen Brunson and 35 points from Karl-Anthony Towns in Game 1 wasn’t enough for the Knicks, so instead I’d like to see the ball move around a bit more so others can get involved in the offense. In my opinion, the Knicks are at their best when the likes of Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby get a similar amount of shots as Brunson and KAT. In the Game 6 elimination of Boston in the second round, we saw all 4 of those players score over 20 points, and that should be the recipe for the Knicks to even this series on Friday.
OG’s scoring form has been up and down this postseason, and in the 13 games played, we’ve seen him score 20+ points 6 times which is just below a 50% success rate. He was just 4 points shy in the series opener, so expect him to be way more aggressive in Friday’s game. The last 10 meetings with Indiana have seen him average 16.4 points per game, while in the 5 most recent games he’s achieved this feat twice. If Anunoby logs 40+ minutes again I have high hopes for him to top the 20-point mark.
Mitchell Robinson to record 8+ rebounds (+126)
Despite playing just 21 minutes in Game 1, Robinson was able to grab 8 rebounds, 4 of which came on the offensive end. It’s quite clear to me that the Pacers don’t have a counter for him down low and that Robinson has the physical advantage over both Myles Turner and Thomas Bryant. The Pacers don’t really play a lineup with a typical center, as they were committed to playing their usual fast pace in Game 1. I don’t see that changing much as this series continues.
During the regular season, Indiana ranked just 23rd in opponent rebounds, allowing 53.4 per game, and that number has gone up to 56.7 per game in their last 3 outings. I’m counting on the Knicks making the necessary adjustments here and not falling for Indiana’s trap of playing fast. That should help Robinson stay on the court longer and result in more rebounding opportunities.
