On most nights in the NBA, if you shoot 55% from the floor, you’re more likely to win your games.
Unfortunately for the Knicks, they ran into a buzzsaw Celtics team that outshot them 87-33 from beyond the arc in the season opener. Boston also capitalized off the Knicks’ carelessness, turning 12 turnovers into 19 points.
It’ll take a little time for this new-look Knicks team to find its stride after sending Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in a packaged deal to Minnesota in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns.
Their next challenge will come against the Pacers on Friday night, and the recent history between the two teams could unlock some value on the total.
Pacers vs. Knicks odds
| Team | Spread | Moneylne | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacers | +4.5 (-110) | +170 | o225 (-110) |
| Knicks | -4.5 (-110) | -205 | u225 (-110) |
Pacers outlook
Looking to build off their run to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pacers opted to keep the core of their team intact by resigning free agent Pascal Siakam.
They also fortified their bench by bringing back Obi Toppin and giving contract extensions to Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell.
James Wiseman was the only significant free-agent signing from another team.
Given their continuity, it’s fair to expect the Pacers to play in a similar style to last year by taking shots early in the clock and bombing 3-point attempts.
The NBA is very much a copycat league, and with everyone chasing the Celtics, it’ll be interesting to see if other teams look to match Boston’s aggression from the perimeter after it attempted 61 3-pointers on opening night.
Knicks outlook
While Towns and Randle were the key pieces in the trade, the Timberwolves were admirers of DiVincenzo, having heavily pursued him as a free agent in 2023.
The Knicks, on the other hand, saw DiVincenzo as expendable after resigning free agent OG Anunoby and trading for Mikal Bridges.
However, DiVincenzo’s ability to defend on the wing could be a significant loss for the Knicks.
You also have to wonder whether the addition of Towns will worsen the Knicks defensively.
Towns was probably the weakest defensive player for Minnesota and got somewhat exposed in the playoffs against the Mavericks.
The Wolves even benched him late in a playoff game after a 4-for-16 shooting performance.
Perhaps the Knicks view Towns as a frontcourt player who can provide better spacing and knock down 3-pointers more efficiently than Randle.
After all, he is a former 3-point contest winner, and he’s shot at least 40% from the perimeter in five of the previous nine seasons.
Pacers vs. Knicks pick
Defenses seem the most vulnerable at the start of this season, as the total has gone over in the vast majority of the games so far.
We’re also getting a relatively short over/under of 225.5 for this game, considering the average total between the two teams last season was 240.5.
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The Pacers shot 50.6% from the floor against the Pistons in their opener but only 29% (9-of-31) from beyond the arc.
I’d expect those numbers to improve against a Knicks team that Boston torched on the perimeter (47.5%).
The makeup of these two teams signals a high-scoring affair, making the over worth a look in this spot.
Best bet: Over 225 points (-110, DraftKings)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Arinze handicaps most major sports for the New York Post. He’s cashed two 15-leg teasers in his betting career as well as a 12-leg parlay that included eight Little League World Series games. More recently, he accurately picked finalists in the 2024 European Championships and Copa America.
