New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers Expert Pick And Predictions – May 12, 2024

NEW YORK KNICKS VS. INDIANA PACERS EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS—MAY 12, 2024—Greetings, basketball fans. I hope you are having a great weekend. Before we go into today’s matchup, I’d like to wish all the moms out there a Happy Mother’s Day.

Welcome back to our NBA playoff coverage here at Godzilla Wins. One of the games from today’s slate features the New York Knicks (56-35 SU, 49-41-1 ATS) traveling on the road to take on the Indiana Pacers (52-40 SU, 48-41-3 ATS).

Here is a look at which squad has the edge going into Game 4 and why.

Tipoff

When: Sunday, May 12, 2024 @ 3:30 PM ET

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

TV: ABC

New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings

New York Knicks vs.  Indiana Pacers – Series Recap & Betting Trends

Can The Pacers Duplicate Their Success From Game 3?

Although the Knicks jumped out to a 2-0 lead, the outcome of those two games could have gone either way.  With that in mind, it was reasonable to predict that Indiana had more than an outside shot of getting back into the series at home. In their 111-106 win in Game 3,  Tyrese Haliburton had another spectacular outing,  leading the Pacers’ charge with 35 points on 14-for-26 shooting from the field. He also tallied seven assists and four rebounds.

Pascal Siakam added 26 points and seven rebounds. Myles Turner contributed 21 points and 10 rebounds.

The Pacers have won nine straight home games, including four in the postseason. But with their All-Star guard nursing multiple injuries (sore back and rolled ankle), it will be difficult to extend that streak to 10 games.

Can The Injury-Riddled Knicks Bounce Back In Game  4?

Meanwhile, the Knicks nearly won Game 3 but ultimately fell short. New York got another solid performance from Donte DiVincenzo, who scored 35 points on a blistering 7-for-11 effort from beyond the arc. Following a regular season in which he averaged 15.5 PPG, he has nearly doubled that average in this series (29.3 PPG).

Jalen Brunson — who is playing through a foot injury — still managed to put up 26 points and six assists but shot 10-for-26 from the floor. While it was obvious that the injury hampered him somewhat, the Knicks’ All-Star guard refused to use that as an excuse.

“If I’m in there, if I’m playing, then there are no excuses. If I can walk, I can play,” Brunson said via CBS Sports.

The Knicks have been dealing with many injuries, which is putting it nicely. Julius Randle (shoulder),  Bojan Bogdanovic (foot), and Mitchell Robinson (ankle) are out for the duration of the season.  Additionally, OG Anunoby — who missed Game 3 with a hamstring injury — may not suit up for Game 4, either.

But despite several players missing from the rotation, the Knicks let a golden opportunity slip through their grasps after coughing up a 98-89 lead at the 10-minute mark in the fourth quarter. They produced just eight points the rest of the way. In a series where points have come at a premium, it is crucial to avoid such lulls, especially when you’re the short-handed squad.

Now that we have set the stage for this Game 4 showdown, let’s examine the betting trends for both sides.

The Spread

Following their 111-106 win in Game 3, the Pacers are a 5.5-point favorite in Game 4 (per BleacherNation.com). Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season.

• The Knicks are 4-2  ATS in their last six contests.
• New York is 6-1 ATS in their last seven road games.
• The Knicks are 5-1 against the spread in their last six May games.
• The Pacers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 May games.
• In their last six contests, Indiana is 2-4 ATS when playing as the favorite.

Prediction: New York Knicks (+5.5)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 218.5 points, but the line total has dipped to 217 points (per Pre-Game.com). Here is why going with the “over” is the smart choice.

• The total has gone OVER 16 times in the Knicks’  last 20 outings.
• In New York’s last five matchups against Eastern Conference teams,  the OVER total is 4-1.
• The OVER total has prevailed five times in the Knicks’ last six matchups against Eastern Conference opponents.
•  The total has gone OVER 11 times in the Pacers’  last 14 games.
•  The OVER total is 6-3 in Indiana’s last nine contests against New York.
• In the Pacers’  last 13 games against Eastern Conference teams, the OVER total cashed in 10 times.
• The OVER total is 6-3 in Indiana’s last nine matchups against Atlantic Division opponents.

Prediction: OVER 217 points

Player Prop Bet

On the heels of his 35-point effort in Game 3, DiVincenzo is the key player to watch in this matchup. He currently has -102 odds of scoring more than 23.5 points and -118 odds of finishing with less than 23.5 points.

Here is a look at how his numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup.

• DiVincenzo is averaging 15.8 points per contest during the regular season and playoffs.
• In six games against the Pacers this season, DiVincenzo has averaged 26.7 points per contest.
• During the playoffs, he is averaging 17.8 points per outing.
• DiVincenzo has played against Eastern Conference teams 60 times this season (including the playoffs). In those contests, he is averaging 15.6 points per outing.
• The Knicks’ shooting guard averages 18.9 points per game in 21 matchups against Central Division opponents,
• Over his last 10 outings, DiVincenzo has averaged 18.5 points and 3.9 rebounds per contest, exceeding the points total for this matchup four times during that stretch.

Although most of the trends say otherwise, I like DiVincenzo to exceed the 23.5-point threshold, as he is averaging 29.3 points per game in this series.

Prediction: Donte DiVincenzo OVER 23.5 points