Pacers vs Knicks Free Pick, NBA Free Picks, NBA Predictions 5/21/25
- J.A. Cavalier
- May 21
- 2 min read
INDIANA @ NEW YORK (NYK -4.5, 223.5)
NBA ODDS, NBA PREDICTIONS, NBA PREVIEWS
PACERS @ KNICKS 5/21/25
Given that the Indiana Pacers defeated the New York Knicks to reach the Eastern Conference finals last season, the two teams are no strangers to one another in the postseason.
Given the significant obstacles that each team had to overcome in the semifinals, one could argue that this year's conference final matchup is an unexpected one. Third-seeded New York defeated the reigning champion Boston Celtics in six games, while fourth-seeded Indiana defeated the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in five games for the second consecutive time.
Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers will play Game 1 of their best-of-seven series against Jalen Brunson and the Knicks on Wednesday in New York.
Last year, Haliburton prevailed in the matchup and was the hero (or villain, depending on your perspective) in Madison Square Garden's Game 7. Speaking to reporters after the game, he wore a hoodie featuring an image of Reggie Miller's famous 1994 "choke" taunt to Knicks superfan Spike Lee, which punctuated his team's series victory.
About a month later, Haliburton and Brunson would reunite at MSG, this time in a WWE ring. New York fans were on the edge of their seats despite the fact that the "chance" encounter was staged and only led to a staredown. In a press conference on Tuesday, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau stated as much.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks to victories in two of the three meetings between the teams this season. In those three games for New York, the five-time All-Star averaged a strong 30.3 points and 12.0 rebounds. However, in the series against the Celtics, Towns only made three of his 19 three-point attempts.
In the Pacers' only victory in the regular-season series against the Knicks, Bennedict Mathurin had a career-high night. He scored 38 points and made seven three-pointers, both career highs, in Indiana's 132-121 victory on November 10. Haliburton scored 35 points and dished out 14 assists for the Pacers, so Mathurin wasn't by himself.
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Coach Rick FREE PICKS:
PASCAL SIAKAM OVER 6.5 REBOUNDS
Siakam averaged 6.4 rebounds per game against the Cavs. He actually had 11.2 rebounding chances per game in that series. He should have at least as many if not more in this series as the Pacers continue to live up to their name and push the pace of this game. The higher tempo means more possessions and more shot attempts. In 10 postseason games, Siakam has grabbed 7 or more rebounds four times, but projections have him closer to 8 tonight.
