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Free NBA Picks New York Knicks: Season-Long Handicapping and Specialization 5/6/2024

by Spencer Toth - 5/6/2024

Free NBA picks New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers Tyrese Haliburton

Doc’s Sports is the place to get all your New York Knicks betting needs. All season long, we have been breaking down New York Knicks games and providing best bets along the way. By using in-depth knowledge of the team, and the league as a whole, we will be able to churn a consistent profit by the season’s end.

On Thursday night, the Knicks closed out their series against the 76ers, winning 118-115 in Philadelphia. Jalen Brunson put the team on his back once again, scoring 41 points. Brunson became the first player since Michael Jordan in 1993 to score 39+ points in four straight playoff games in the victory, as his consistency carried the Knicks to a first-round victory. All 5 starters scored 14+ points in Game 6, as the Knicks were solid on both ends of the court.

From a betting perspective, we had a perfect 2-0 night. We unloaded the clip with our biggest bet of the season, laying 8 Units on Donte DiVincenzo Over 11.5 points. DiVincenzo had scored just 9.8 PPG in the postseason but was due for a big game after scoring 15 PPG in the regular season. DiVincenzo surpassed 12 points early in the second quarter, before eventually finishing with a playoff career high 23 points. The second bet of the night was on New York Knicks moneyline at +130 odds, which also cashed.

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Tonight, the Knicks begin the second round against the Indiana Pacers. There is no doubt the Knicks will be favorites to advance in this series, but the Pacers high flying offense will give them troubles on a nightly basis. The Pacers rely on pushing the ball in transition to succeed and were able to overcome the Bucks without too much trouble. The absence of Giannis Anteokounmpo, and the limping Damian Lillard, cannot be ignored, but there is still nothing to be taken away from the Pacers in round one. They did what they had to do and will now look to take down the Knicks in round two.

This will be a fascinating battle, and it features a defensive juggernaut taking on a red-hot offense. The Knicks may not score boatloads of points on a nightly basis, but their strong defense is often good enough to keep the scoreline tight. Alternatively, the Pacers rely on a streaky offense to overcome their defensive deficiencies. Indiana scores a boatload of their points in transition. And if they get an open shot from deep with 19 seconds left in the shot clock, there will be no hesitation from anyone in their lineup.

In the first round, Tyrese Haliburton was unable to replicate his solid regular season, and the Pacers leaned heavily on Pascal Siakam. The longtime Toronto Raptors was acquired by the Pacers at the trade deadline and has had a solid impact on the offensive end. He led the team with 22.3 PPG in the first round and turned the ball over just 3 times all series long. Siakam may not be as lethal in transition. However, when the Knicks get into a set defensive scheme, Siakam is the only man on the Pacers capable of generating his own offense in isolation. Josh Hart and OG Anunoby will be tasked with slowing him down, and both men are strong enough to not give up an inch and quick enough to react to shifty moves from Siakam.

This is going to be a tight series, and it’s going to come down to how the Knicks can perform on the offensive end. There is no doubt the Knicks can slow down the Pacers’ high flying offense, while there will also almost certainly be stretches where the Pacers offense heats up. When an elite defensive team takes on a dominant offensive unit, it comes down to the other end of the floor. The Pacers have struggled to perform on the defensive end this season and allowed players like Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez to pick them apart in the first round. Jalen Brunson is playing some of the best playoff basketball the league has ever seen, and even the Pacers offense will not be able to keep pace if he continues to heat up.

The spread is set to 6 points in the opening game of the series. And while it’s just a little wide for my liking, I’ll be instead taking the Knicks moneyline to kick things off. The Knicks came out strong in Game 1 against the 76ers. And in front of a loud Madison Square Garden crowd, they will be able to edge out a tight game. The -220 moneyline is a tough pill to swallow, but there is absolutely no doubt in my mind the Knicks will take an early series lead. Brunson has been unstoppable, and the Knicks defense will be able to slow down the Pacers in the series opener.

The second bet of the night we are going to be targeting Tyrese Haliburton’s turnovers. Haliburton has averaged 2.7 turnovers so far in the playoffs, slightly more than his season average. The Knicks defense has been able to generate plenty of turnovers. And considering his line is evenly juiced at 2.5, the Over is an easy choice. Haliburton will be tasked with leading the offense, especially in transition, and a few errant passes will be enough to cash this prop. This is a reasonable line, and when the MSG crowd gets amped up, Haliburton will crack under the pressure.

Pick: New York Knicks Moneyline -220 4 Units

Pick: Tyrese Haliburton Over 2.5 Turnovers -110 2 Units

2023-24 Season record:

ML Record: 13-5

Spread Record: 24-22

Total Record: 17-15

Player Props Record: 21-38

Total: 75-80

Down 1.9 Units

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