After a wild, dramatic finish in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers are back at it on Friday night for Game 2.
The pregame narrative: Indiana pulled off a stunning last-minute comeback over New York that culminated in a 138-135 overtime win. Karl-Anthony Towns (35 points, 12 rebounds) was one of the stars for the Knicks, and he should be expected to shine again.
Check out my Pacers vs. Knicks SGP predictions for Game 2 on May 23, featuring Towns and Aaron Nesmith.
Pacers vs. Knicks predictions
Parlay: Knicks ML | Over 219.5 points | Towns over 34.5 pts/reb | Nesmith 2+ threes (+410)
Knicks moneyline (-225): It’s not hyperbolic to say that New York’s Game 1 loss was one of the most improbable outcomes in NBA history.
A monumental collapse at home is concerning for the Knicks, but it doesn’t wash away the strong showing from the team as a whole. And remember, this is the same New York squad that authored two 20-point comeback wins against the Celtics last round.
New York is 58-21 as a home favourite since the start of last year, per Team Rankings.
I expect the Knicks to build a fourth-quarter lead again — and not let it slip away this time.
NBA SGP legs
Over 219.5 points (-225): Indiana and New York didn’t need overtime to breeze past this total. They combined for 250 total points in regulation — including 70 points in a blistering first quarter.
- Indiana has played at the fastest pace among all Eastern Conference playoff teams, averaging 99.03 possessions per game.
- All four Knicks/Pacers matchups this year have gone over this total. The average total in those matchups is 247.5 points.
Overs are 5-1 in the past six matchups between these teams, which dates back to their second-round playoff series last May.
Also, since that 2024 playoff series, five of six meetings at Madison Square Garden have surpassed this total.
There was plenty of animosity and physicality in Game 1, but that didn’t stop these teams from running the floor and often scoring at will.
Towns over 34.5 points/rebounds (-124): All these high-scoring games between Indiana and New York have coincided with some monster performances from Towns.
On Wednesday, Towns had 35 points on 11-of-17 shooting and added 12 rebounds in the Knicks’ losing effort.
Will KAT cash this bet on points alone in Game 2? Probably not, but I wouldn’t put it past him. And with 11-plus rebounds in eight of his past nine games, he can afford to be a bit quieter in the scoring department.
Check out KAT’s four games vs. Indiana this year:
- Oct. 25: 21 points, 15 rebounds
- Nov. 10: 30 points, 9 rebounds
- Feb. 11: 40 points, 12 rebounds
- May 21: 35 points, 12 rebounds
Can Nesmith stay hot?
Nesmith 2+ threes (-195): Nesmith put on an all-timer of a performance in Game 1, going 8-for-9 from 3-point range. He did most of his work in the fourth quarter, dragging the Pacers out of the jaws of defeat.
Backing Nesmith at this 3s milestone isn’t a prisoner-of-the-moment thing. The fifth-year forward has been a menace from deep for months.
- From March 1 through the end of the regular season, he shot 46.3% from deep and averaged 2.6 threes.
- In the playoffs, Nesmith has a 53.8 3PT%, averaging 3.2 threes.
- Altogether since March 1, Nesmith as 2+ threes in 24 of 33 games (72.7%).
Pacers vs. Knicks predictions made at 2:40 p.m. ET 05/22/2025.
Jordan enjoys writing data-driven game previews and analysis articles — especially for MLB markets or NFL/NBA props. And as a proud Ohio University grad, he’ll always have a soft spot for college sports (especially if the Bobcats are involved). Previous stops include mlb.com, Sportsnet and The Athletic.