NBA
Knicks vs. Pacers pick against the spread, over/under for Game 6
![Knicks vs. Pacers pick against the spread, over/under for Game 6 Knicks vs. Pacers pick against the spread, over/under for Game 6](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kxc5_lyQ1E7OFDTxG5l7_7kNk_w=/0x0:4632x2425/fit-in/1200x630/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25452549/2152977805.jpg)
Game 6 between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers will tip off Friday evening with the Knicks looking to close out the series while the Pacers hope to force Game 7. The home team has won every game in this series, which gives Indiana fans some confidence going into this contest. After three tight games to open the series, the last two games have been blowouts favoring the home side. Will that trend continue or will we get another nail-biter Friday?
OG Anunoby remains sidelined for New York due to a hamstring injury he suffered earlier in the series. Anunoby has progressed to doing some work on the court but seems unlikely to play in the rest of the series. The Pacers have finally removed Tyrese Haliburton from the official injury report after a series of throwaway “questionable” tags.
The Pacers are 6-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook with the total sitting at 215.5. Indiana is -238 on the moneyline while New York is +195.
Knicks vs. Pacers, 8:30 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Pacers -6
The last two games in this series have been nearly identical, with the winning team scoring 121 points and the loser hovering around 90 points. That’s the amount of variance the three-point shot can create in today’s NBA. I think we’ll see Game 6 play out more like the first three games of this matchup. The Knicks got some much-needed rest for their top players in Game 4 and it showed in Game 5. Throwing Miles McBride into the starting lineup was also a move that worked for New York. The Pacers didn’t shoot the ball all that poorly in Game 5 but were done in by 18 turnovers. The Knicks took 30 more shots than the Pacers in Game 5 and eventually, that volume was going to make a difference even if the percentages were similar.
We saw the Timberwolves rise to the moment Thursday in Game 6 against the defending champions, and I think we’ll see the Pacers do the same here against a much thinner Knicks side. Give me Indiana to win tonight and force Game 7.
Over/Under: Over 215.5
Game 3 in Indiana went over this number, while Game 4 went under this line. Three of the five games in the series have gone over the totals, which have only gone under in the event of blowouts. I expect a much closer contest in Game 6 and I’ll back the over in that scenario.