The New York Knicks preparing for Game 3 of their playoff series with the Indiana Pacers. The game will begin at 8 p.m. ET. After dropping the first two games, the Knicks are looking to gain momentum as they face the Pacers, who have taken an early lead in the series. The Pacers took Game 1 in dramatic fashion, and arguably no play was bigger than Tyrese Haliburton’s buzzer-beater to send the game to overtime.
Mitchell Robinson New York’s center will have an increased importance in this matchup. His versatility to impact the game on both sides of the ball should make life difficult for the Pacers. Robinson is even better odds at +450 for a double-double. This has betting enthusiasts buzzing about his ability to dictate the game, particularly with his tendency to score on lob attempts and offensive rebounds.
The O/U for the game is 223.5 points, perhaps a product of the breakneck pace the Pacers love to play at. As it stands, their odds are -1.5 and the Knicks are at +1.5. The BPI Projection gives the Pacers a healthy 73% chance, with Indiana favored by an average of ~2.9 points. They do have a 60% chance of winning outright, with a total points projection of 224.4.
Jalen Brunson continues to be the offensive engine for the Knicks, putting up a gaudy offensive usage percentage in Allen Iverson territory. His talent for self-generating looks, in particular determining his best areas on the floor will be key for the Knicks. Either way, they’ll have to change their approach to beat the Pacers’ high tempo style. Robinson’s growing role is certainly good news for their offense. It creates more chances in possession just due to great defensive steals and rebound offensive boards.
In Game 2, Siakam further added on to the Cats’ defensive nightmare, unleashing a 39-point barrage that made defending the Knicks’ best-move advantage nearly impossible. The Pacers are really good at creating scoring opportunities and applying perpetual pressure. This requires the Knicks to use their home improvement playbook to counterbalance.
Now, as the series moves to Game 3, each side is aiming to perfect their play and earn a key win on their opponent’s home court. The Knicks must find a way to counter the Pacers’ fast-paced style while leveraging Robinson’s potential for added offensive contributions.
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