The Eastern Conference semifinal series between the second-seeded New York Knicks and No. 6 Indiana Pacers starts Monday from Madison Square Garden with the Knicks as 6-point favorites for Game 1 and also favored to win the series – which we think happens in six.

Indiana won the 2023-24 season series, 2-1, and outscored the Knicks by an average of 123.3-115.3. But the last meeting was way back on Feb. 10 also at Madison Square Garden, a 125-111 Pacers victory behind 23 points from Myles Turner and 22 from Tyrese Haliburton. Indiana shot 61% (50 for 82) in the game, including 48.3% (14 for 29) from 3-point distance. Jalen Brunson had 39 points in a losing effort for the Knicks. They were very short-handed, missing OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein.

The Pacers and Knicks have an extensive history in the playoffs, having faced off seven times in the postseason, including six times in an eight-year span. They last met in the 2013 postseason, with Indiana advancing.

The Pacers led the NBA in pace for almost the entire regular season, while the Knicks finished last. Additionally, the Pacers had the No. 1 scoring offense (123.3 points per game), while the Knicks gave up the second-fewest points nightly (108.2). A key area of concern for the Pacers will be on the glass, as the Knicks ranked No. 1 in offensive rebounding, while the Pacers finished 28th overall on the boards.

Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks 2024 NBA Playoffs Game 1 Info

Two #NBAAllStar point guards headline the next chapter of Knicks-Pacers as the storied rivals prepare to clash in the postseason for the first time since 2013.
@AschNBA looks ahead to Game 1, Monday at 7:30pm/et on TNT.

➡️ https://t.co/pZDJc4PidU pic.twitter.com/TEE3Lu3pgK

— NBA (@NBA) May 3, 2024

• When: Monday, May 6th, 2024, 6:30 PM ET
• Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• TV: TNT
• Radio: 107.5 FM The Fan (Pacers) // WFAN Sports Radio 101.9 FM (Knicks)
• Stream: NBA League Pass
• NBA Odds: Pacers (+6) // Knicks (-6)

Why bet on the Indiana Pacers?

The Pacers got here by taking out Milwaukee in Game 6 on Thursday, 120-98. Haliburton finished with 17 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. Haliburton recorded a double-double in three of the six games in the first round against Milwaukee, finishing with at least 15 points in four straight outings to round out the series. Indiana is headed to the second round for the first time in 10 years, and its bench is a significant reason why. TJ McConnell and Obi Toppin combined to score 41 points in Game 6 vs. the Bucks, with McConnell also racking up nine assists and four steals. They became the first duo in Pacers playoff history to each post 20 or more points off the bench in one game.

Indiana has reached 120 or more points only nine times in its playoff history. Three of those games came during their first round series against Milwaukee. Indiana’s 126 points in Game 4 marked its second-highest scoring total in a playoff game in NBA franchise history.

The Pacers posted their best marks for any series in postseason franchise history in scoring average (111.1 points per game), field goals (259), field goal percentage (.479), 3-pointers made (84), 3-point attempts (244) and assists (181). Indiana finished with 59 turnovers over its six-game series, the fewest in any six-game series in playoff franchise history, and led the NBA in the first round with a 3.07 assists-per-turnover ratio.

Pascal Siakam ranks 18th among all NBA players in the playoffs with an average of 23.0 points per game, and 14th with 8.4 rebounds per game. Siakam finished with 36 points and 13 rebounds in Game 1, and 37 points and 11 rebounds in Game 2. He joined Wilt Chamberlain (1967) and Elgin Baylor (1961) as the only players in NBA history to record consecutive playoff games with 35+ points and 10+ rebounds.

With Indiana’s Game 6 win, Rick Carlisle earned his 67th career playoff win as a head coach, moving him into 16th place in NBA history ahead of former Philadelphia coach Billy Cunningham.

Why bet on the New York Knicks?

New York advanced with a 118-115 win in Philadelphia in Game 6 of its first-round series Thursday. Brunson capped an amazing series with 41 points and 12 assists. Brunson made history with his performance, becoming the fourth player in NBA history to record 39 or more points in four consecutive playoff appearances, which Michael Jordan last achieved during the 1992-93 season.

Brunson also became the seventh player in NBA history, and just the second Knick (Bernard King – 1984) to record 40+ points in three consecutive playoff games. Brunson also joined King as the only players to record at least 35 points in four consecutive playoff games in franchise history. In addition, Brunson is the first player since Stephen Curry (2019) to accomplish this feat in playoff history. Brunson averaged 35.5 points, 9.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game in the first-round series.

Josh Hart played nearly every minute in the first round and had 16 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists over 46 minutes in Game 5. Hart recorded three double-doubles in the series but grabbed double-digit rebounds four times and scored 15-plus points in all but one of the six contests.

The Knicks have advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals for a second consecutive season — a feat the franchise hasn’t accomplished since 2000, when it did so for a ninth straight time.

Pacers vs. Knicks Betting Trends

• Indiana is 4-1 SU in the last 5 games.
• Pacers are 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road.
• The total went over in 9 of Indiana’s last 11 games.
• New York is 9-2 SU in the last 11 games.
• Knicks are 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing as the favorite.
• The total went over in 15 of New York’s last 18 games.

Pacers vs. Knicks 2024 NBA Playoffs Game 1 Prediction

Indiana takes the first win to lead the series.

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READ MORE: Pacers vs. Knicks 2024 NBA Playoffs Odds & Game 2 Preview