Pacers vs. Knicks Eastern Conference Finals Preview

A classic rivalry in the pantheon of NBA basketball resumes with renewed hostilities. The fans are about to be treated.

The legends of each franchise will watch as their younger counterparts chisel out their own stories. The team from the “Mecca of Basketball” take on the boys from the Hoosier State. Let’s talk hoops.

Check out all of the odds for this exciting series at the best online sportsbooks.

Pacers vs. Knicks Series Preview

Both these teams won 50 games in the East, they also both are considerably better at home than away, and both have a healthy disdain for one another. They played three times during the regular season. None of those contests came down to a possession or two. They were decided well before the clock was almost out.

Here’s how their regular season matchup played out:

• October 25, 2024: IND – 98 @ NYK – 123
• November 10, 2024: NYK – 121 @ IND – 132
• February 11, 2025: NYK – 128 @ IND – 115

In reality, the Knicks have not faced the team the Pacers became in the latter parts of the season. The elite team that has looked great in the playoffs hadn’t formed by February, which is the last time these two teams played one another.

NBA Series Odds

• Indiana Pacers series price (+137)
• New York Knicks series price (-157)

Odds are via BetOnline!

“This is why I can’t stand the Knicks. They’re frontrunners. They think they’re God’s gift to basketball”

– Reggie Miller after calling last year’s Knicks-Pacers series

The longtime Pacer will call every game of this year’s series for TNT pic.twitter.com/5g9cGt8Gf7

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 19, 2025

Statistical Leaders and General Overview

Here is a quick overview of some of the individual stats leaders during the season series:

• Points: IND – Pascal Siakam (20.2 ppg) / NYK – Jalen Brunson (26.0 ppg)
• Rebounds: IND – Pascal Siakam (6.9 rpg) / NYK – Karl-Anthony Towns (12.8 rpg)
• Assists: IND – Tyrese Haliburton (9.2 apg) / NYK – Jalen Brunson (7.3 apg)
• 3-Point FG%: IND – Aaron Nesmith (43.0%) / NYK – Karl-Anthony Towns (42.0%)

Here are some of the team stats and team shooting splits:

• New York: 115.8 PTS / 42.6 REB / 27.5 AST / 8.18 STL / 3.95 BLK / 48.57 FG% / 80.01 FT% / 36.90 3PT%
• Indiana: 117.4 PTS/ 41.8 REB / 29.2 AST / 8.46 STL / 5.46 BLK / 48.79 FG% / 78.90 FT% / 36.84 3PT%

The New York Knicks are 25-7 in their last 32 games as a favorite. Currently, they are a -4.5 favorite for the game on Wednesday. Tom Thibodeau’s squad simply gets the job done when they should. They are favored in this series and the data indicates that they should get the job done here against their rival.

However, the over hit in 24 of the Indiana Pacers last 36 games vs. top 10 scoring defenses. This is a team that intends to overwhelm. If you have a good defense, Indiana will literally increase the pace to exhaust you. The Pacers come into every game and they impose their style of basketball into the game’s flow.

one year ago today, we beat the Knicks 130-109 in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Tyrese Haliburton led the way with 26 points (6 3PM) as we shot 67.1% from the field & 54.2% from three 🔥 pic.twitter.com/gn99uyWSH4

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) May 19, 2025

2024 NBA Playoffs

These two teams played one anther in last years Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Knicks went up in that series 3-2 and even had a 2-0 lead. They eventually lost in seven games. A brutal series that still bothers the Knicks leader to this day.

Jalen Brunson says losing to the Pacers last year in the playoffs still bothers him pic.twitter.com/mG4ws2ZvyW

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 19, 2025

The Pacers have actually been a thorn in the Knicks’ side for decades. They eliminated New York from the playoffs in 2024, 2013, and 2000. However, in 1999 the Knicks downed the Pacers in the Conference Finals before losing the Championship to the Spurs 4-1.

Series Analysis

The Knicks need to attack the paint and clean the glass. They will be facing the 26th ranked paint defense in the association. Indiana also allows teams to shoot high percentages and is middle of the pack defending second chance points. The Knicks need to slow the pace of every game and turn it into a bar fight.

Similarly, the Pacers are a good paint scoring team taking on a bad paint defense. However, Indiana should use paint scoring to unlock other parts of their game. The Knicks allowed teams to shoot 36.7% (26th) from three. So, the Pacers can use their 5th ranked fast break offense to open up their shooters.

To conclude, I think the Pacers win this series, but I do hold a bias against the Knicks and I like the Pacers a lot. They play a unique brand of basketball, they have All-NBA level talent, and they take care of the basketball. Furthermore, it is impressive to see a team that loves to run still only have a 12.8% Turnover Percentage (3rd).

Like the Analysis? Check out our Outlier.Bet review! 

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