Pacers vs. Knicks Series Odds: Can Jalen Brunson, Knicks Come Back from Brink in Eastern Conference Finals?
The New York Knicks are still facing a 2-1 series deficit against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals after finally staging a comeback in Game 3. Can New York even this series and advance to the NBA Finals? Mark Harris examines the Pacers vs. Knicks playoff series odds ahead of Tuesday's Game 4.
Mark Harris - May 27, 2025, 12:45 PM EDT
5 Minute ReadPacers vs. Knicks Series Odds: Can Jalen Brunson, Knicks Come Back from Brink in Eastern Conference Finals?
Normal games are prohibited in the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals. That's just how things go when the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers square off in the NBA playoffs.
The Knicks were in a dire situation at halftime of Game 3. They were down 58-45 and had already trailed by 20 points earlier in the second quarter, all while being down 0-2 in the series.
Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns were both in foul trouble, and it sure seemed like the Pacers had a golden path to the NBA Finals. The vibes were bad for New York.
Admit it, you thought the Knicks were cooked. Maybe you didn't proclaim them dead on national television like Charles Barkley, but it sure felt like Indiana was going to win Game 3 and go up 3-0.
Well, after some defensive stops and a 20-point fourth-quarter outburst from KAT, we have a series!
While New York still faces an ECF series deficit, being down 2-1 is far better than the alternative. The Knicks now avoid the unenviable task of overcoming a 3-0 series deficit, something no NBA team has ever done.
New York remains a series underdog in the Eastern Conference Finals, but by how much? I take a look at the ECF odds:
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Knicks vs. Pacers Eastern Conference Finals Series Odds
- Pacers: -200
- Knicks: +165
Click here for complete Knicks vs. Pacers Series Odds
Those odds seem pretty fair for such a tight series. All three of the Eastern Conference Finals games have been decided by 14 combined points, and every game has been a 50-50 contest.
Neither team has truly dominated the other for any long stretch of time, which is why the Pacers' wild Game 1 overtime win looms so large in this series. Had Aaron Nesmith hit one less 3-pointer or Tyrese Haliburton's game-tying shot bounced an inch further, then the Knicks might be -200 series favorites right now, but that's not how it played out.
The Knicks face an uphill battle, but their Game 3 win makes the climb less steep than it would have been otherwise. Winning three out of four games does not feel impossible for this New York team, and while Indiana has played well this postseason, it is not some 2017 Golden State Warriors-esque, unbeatable juggernaut that can't be touched.
A trip to the NBA Finals is very much on the table for the Knicks after Game 3, and +165 seems like the correct odds for them winning this series. Even though the Pacers deserve to be short favorites since they still have superior depth and only need two more victories to win the ECF, it is not unreasonable to believe in New York winning the series.
Most observers would agree that Brunson and Towns are two of the top three players in this series, and I have Brunson as the top player in this matchup. That has to count for something, and if Tom Thibodeau can continue to find ways to limit Indiana's role players, those two might be enough to push the Knicks past the finish line.
I would still lean the Pacers at -200 because they only need two more wins, and I expect at least one more excellent performance from Haliburton. That said, New York at +165 is good plus-value considering it has played just about as well as Indiana.
Eastern Conference Finals Series Total Games
- 5 games: +290
- 6 games: +152
- 7 games: +146
FanDuel Sportsbook has some fun Series Total Games odds for the Eastern Conference Finals. I won't even try to predict how many games this series will go, although six or seven games seems like the likely outcome. FanDuel has the Series Total Games Over/Under at 6.5 (O +146, U -180).
NBA ODDS
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