INDIANA PACERS VS. NEW YORK KNICKS ODDS AND PREDICTIONS FOR FEBRUARY 1, 2024

Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Latest Basketball News. One of the games on tap from today’s slate features the Indiana Pacers (27-22 SU, 27-19-3 ATS) taking on the New York Knicks (31-17 SU, 29-18-1 ATS).

Here is a look at which team has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Tipoff

• When: Thursday, February 1, 2024
  
• Time: 7:30 PM ET
  
• Where: Madison Square Garden
  
• Location: New York City, New York
  
• TV: MSG and BSIN

Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks Odds (Via DraftKings)

Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks – Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

Can The Pacers Cool Off The Surging Knicks?

Indiana Pacers Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 124.8 PPG – 1ST         
• Offensive Efficiency: 121.7 points per 100 possessions – 1ST             
• Scoring Defense: 122.9 PPG – 28TH         
• Defensive Efficiency: 119.8 points per 100 possessions – 26TH    

The Indiana Pacers occupy the No. 6 spot in the conference playoff race, and they are 4-6 across their last 10 outings. Indiana recently saw its three-game winning streak snapped with a 129-124 loss to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night. 

Aaron Nesmith finished with a stat line that included 26 points on 11-for-17 shooting and 4-for-7 from 3-point range. He also grabbed 12 rebounds and handed out seven assists. 

Pascal Siakam contributed 23 points and six rebounds. The Pacers did not play well in the first half as they fell behind by 20 points, something head coach Rick Carlisle spoke about after the game.

“Our first half was poor,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said, via CBS Sports. “Not enough presence. Not enough force.”

The Pacers will need to get off to a good start against a Knicks team that is clicking on all cylinders.

Can The Knicks Extend Their Winning Streak To Nine Games?

New York Knicks Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 115.4 PPG – 15TH 
• Offensive Efficiency: 119.1 points per 100 possessions – 7TH           
• Scoring Defense: 109.3 PPG – 2ND        
• Defensive Efficiency: 112.8 points per 100 possessions – 7TH     

On the other side of this matchup, the New York Knicks have climbed up to the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference. They have posted nine wins in their last 10 outings. Not only that, but they also come into this matchup on an eight-game winning streak. 

This includes a 118-103 win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night. Donte DiVincenzo scored a team-high 33 points on 11-for-22 shooting from the field. He also converted nine of his 15 attempts from beyond the arc, while tallying five rebounds, four assists, and four steals. 

Jalen Brunson added 29 points, nine assists, and three rebounds, while Precious Achiuwa contributed 18 points and five rebounds.  

The Knicks finished with a 14-2 record despite multiple players nursing injuries during that stretch – a feat the team has not accomplished since March 1994.

“I knew we were on a trajectory to go forward and go upward, but I’d be lying if I said I saw this coming,” Brunson said. “It’s just our depth. We have a couple of guys out and when people are called upon, they’re ready to go.”

As well as the Knicks have been playing, their winning streak should remain intact against a Pacers team that has been wildly inconsistent as of late.

Now that we have set the table for this matchup, let us look at the betting trends for both sides.

The Picks

The Spread

The Knicks opened as a three-point favorite. The line has recently climbed to 3.5 points for the home team (per pre-game.com). Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season. 

• The Pacers are 13-4-3 ATS in their last 20 games.
• Indiana is 2-4 ATS in their last six games against New York. 
• In their last five road matchups against the Knicks, the Pacers are 1-4 against the spread.
• The Knicks have successfully covered the spread in each of their last six contests.
• In their last five February games, the Knicks are 5-0 against the spread.

Going with the Knicks to cover is the best option given these trends.

Prediction: New York Knicks (-3.5)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 241 points. The line has dipped to 238.5 points. Here is why going with the “under” is the smart choice. 

• The total has gone UNDER eight times in the Pacers’ last 12 games.
• The UNDER total has prevailed 10 times in Indiana’s last 12 road matchups.
• In the Knicks’ last 10 games, the UNDER total won nine times.
• The total has gone UNDER 10 times in New York’s last 14 games against Central Division opponents.
• The UNDER total has hit five times in the Knicks’ last seven games in which they played on a Thursday.

Prediction: UNDER 238.5 points

Player Prop Bet

The key player to watch for the home team is OG Anunoby. He currently has -110 odds of scoring more than 19.5 points and -120 odds of finishing with less than 19.5 points (Via PointsBet).

Here is a glance to see how his numbers compare to the projected points total for this matchup. 

• In 18 career games against the Pacers, Anunoby is averaging 12.6 PPG.
• On the season, Anunoby is averaging 15.3 points per outing. 
• In 22 road contests, he is averaging 15.9 PPG.
• Anunoby has played against Eastern Conference opponents 28 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 14.2 points per outing.
• He has played against Central Division opponents seven times this season. In those matchups, he’s averaged 13.9 points per game.
• Anunoby has played four times on a Thursday this season. He is averaging 17.8 points per game. 
• During January – a sample size of 14 games — he averaged 15.6 PPG, exceeding the points total for this matchup only two times during that stretch.

Based on the above trends, going with the “under” for Anunoby is the smart choice here.

Prediction: OG Anunoby UNDER 19.5 points

James’s Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks Picks

• The Spread: New York Knicks (-3.5)
• Over/Under: UNDER 238.5 points
• Player Prop Bet: OG Anunoby UNDER 19.5 points