The New York Knicks will look to push the Indiana Pacers to the brink of elimination this Saturday, as they take their turn as the road team in the series. Will the banged-up Knicks go up 3-0? Or, will the Pacers cut their series deficit down in half?

Catch this game live on Saturday, May 11, 2024 at 7:00 AM, Manila time

Away: New York Knicks (2-0)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Jalen Brunson
  • Donte DiVincenzo
  • Josh Hart
  • Precious Achiuwa
  • Isaiah Hartenstein

Jalen Brunson did not have to score 40 points in Game 2 for the Knicks to win. With stellar performances from the other guys and Brunson still having another great night, the Knicks were able to thwart Indiana on Thursday, 130-121. Scoring hasn’t been a problem for the Knicks in the series. 

They have averaged 125.5 points on 55.4 percent shooting from the field and 47.2 percent from behind the arc through two games, and even with OG Anunoby out for Game 3 with an injury, the Knicks should still be fine, offensively. Brunson, who scored 29 points in Game 2 is leading the Knicks in the playoffs with 35.6 points per game. With Anunoby out, the Knicks could give Precious Achiuwa a nod to start, with perhaps Miles McBride getting more minutes as well. 

The total has hit the Over in all of the Knicks’ last four games.

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Home: Indiana Pacers (0-2)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Tyrese Haliburton
  • Andrew Nembhard
  • Aaron Nesmith
  • Pascal Siakam
  • Myles Turner

Maybe whining about the officiating in the series could help turn the tide in favor of the Pacers, whose head coach, Rick Carlisle, blasted the refs following Indiana’s Game 2 loss. Or, maybe, Carlisle will give TJ McConnell more playing time. McConnell has been amazing of late. In Game 2, he scored 10 points and dished out 12 assists while shooting 5/9 from the field in only 23 minutes. 

Over the last three games, McConnell has averaged 16.0 points on 61.8 percent shooting from the field and 8.0 assists in just 22.6 minutes. The Pacers are not going to give McConnell more minutes than Haliburton, but it’s hard to deny the good things that happen for them when the former Arizona Wildcats is on the floor. For what it’s worth. Haliburton rebounded nicely from a six-point performance in Game 1 by dropping 34 points in Game 2, albeit in a loss. The Pacers are 7-3 against the spread in their last 10 home games.

Picks

Spread: Indiana Pacers (-7.0)

Over/Under: Over (221.5)

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