Pacers vs. Knicks Prediction: Can Josh Hart Carry Knicks in Game 1 of Eastern Conference Finals?
Josh Hart had great success in the regular season against the Pacers, averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds in three games against Indiana. Will he continue to contribute in a big way in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals tonight? Adam Ronis breaks down his best bet in this Pacers vs. Knicks Prediction for Wednesday, May 21st.
Adam Ronis
| 4 Minutes
Pacers vs. Knicks Prediction: Can Josh Hart Carry Knicks in Game 1 of Eastern Conference Finals?
Madison Square Garden will be rocking on Wednesday night for Game 1 when the New York Knicks host the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. It’s the first time the Knicks are in the conference finals since 2000. The Pacers are making their second straight appearance. The Pacers beat the Knicks in seven games in the second round last season, but the Knicks weren’t healthy.
Indiana is 4-1 on the road in the postseason. The Pacers, who are 42-16 since Jan. 1, are shooting 50.1% from the field, and 40.6% from three-point range. The Knicks beat the Pistons in the first round and upset the Celtics in the second round. In the 12 postseason games for the Knicks, six have been decided by three points or fewer.
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Pacers vs. Knicks Odds Game 1
- Spread: Pacers +4.5 (-108), Knicks -4.5 (-112)
- Moneyline: Pacers (+158), Knicks (-188)
- Total: Over 223.5 (-108), Under 223.5 (-112)
Pacers vs. Knicks Date, Time, and Where to Watch Game 1
- Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025
- Game Time: 8:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: TNT
Click here for latest Pacers vs. Knicks Odds
Pacers vs. Knicks Prediction Game 1
Josh Hart provides a lot of energy and does the little things for the Knicks. Teams tend to leave him open since the Knicks have other threats to focus on offensively or put the worst defender on him. In competitive games, Hart will play 40+ minutes. He has played at least 40 minutes in five playoff games and he usually falls short due to foul trouble or blowouts.
Hart averaged 13.6 points and 9.6 rebounds in the regular season. Against the Pistons, he averaged 11.8 points and 8.7 rebounds and 14.5 points and 8.3 rebounds against the Celtics.
The matchup against the Pacers is more favorable compared to the previous two for Hart. The Pacers are third in pace in the postseason, and were seventh during the regular season. Hart had success against the Pacers in the three regular season games, with 30 points and 10 rebounds in 40 minutes, 16 points and 10 rebounds in 43 minutes and 20 points and 10 rebounds in 37 minutes.
He tends to score most of his points in the paint and the Pacers allow the fifth-most points in the paint and Indiana doesn’t protect the rim well and scoring at the rim is a strength for Hart. The Pacers are a below-average rebounding team and Hart averaged 10 rebounds against them in the regular season.
Pacers vs. Knicks Pick Game 1
- Pick: Josh Hart Over 21.5 Points + Rebounds (-125) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best price on Pacers vs. Knicks odds
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