Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals wasn’t short on drama.
Despite putting together a huge fourth quarter lead, the New York Knicks were unable to hold a nine-point advantage in the final minute, losing in overtime to the Indiana Pacers.
Indiana has taken home-court advantage in the series, but it is set as an underdog in Game 2 at Madison Square Garden on Friday night. The Pacers, who knocked the Knicks out of the playoffs last season, are 9-2 in the playoffs in 2025, beating the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers to reach a second straight Eastern Conference Finals.
Aaron Nesmith and Tyrese Haliburton both had special moments when it came to clutch shot-making in Game 1, but can the Pacers really put their stamp on this series on Friday?
I’m eyeing a pair of plays for Game 2, including one for New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, who has dominated the Pacers in the playoffs over the last two seasons. Brunson scored 43 points in Game 1, but it wasn’t enough for the Knicks to come away with a win.
Let’s break down each of the best bets for Friday’s Game 2!
NBA Best Bets Record to Date2024-25 season record: 264-270-4 (-8.28 units)OVERALL (since 2021-22 season): 1274-1214-26 (+29.81 units)
NBA Best Bets Today
Indiana Pacers +5.5 (-110) vs. New York KnicksJalen Brunson OVER 29.5 Points (-115)Indiana Pacers +5.5 (-110) vs. New York Knicks
This season, the Pacers are the No. 4 team in the NBA against the spread as a road underdog (17-10), and I’m surprised to see this number climb after the Pacers were 4.5-point dogs in Game 1.
All postseason long, the Knicks have played close games, and even when they’re up big, they let the Pacers back into Game 1. While I don’t expect Aaron Nesmith to have another Klay Thompson-esque performance, the Pacers forced the Knicks to push the pace and play at their tempo all night long.
Indiana is now 5-1 on the road, winning each of its last five games away from Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and it has the depth to withstand a quick turnaround after an overtime game. Unlike the Knicks, who are playing seven to eight players in their rotation, Indiana has been going as many as 11 deep in the playoffs.
Outside of Game 6 against Boston, New York has yet to pull away – and hold on to a lead – this postseason. In fact, the Knicks only have two wins by double digits in the entire playoffs and have gone 3-4 straight up at home.
I’ll trust the Pacers to keep this game within two possessions – if they don’t win outright – on Friday.
Jalen Brunson OVER 29.5 Points (-115)
Jalen Brunson easily cleared his points prop of 28.5 in Game 1, and I’m going back to the well in Game 2 – even though oddsmakers have bumped this number up a point.
Brunson gave the Pacers some major issues last postseason, shooting 67 percent when guarded by Andrew Nembhard and 45 percent when guarded by Aaron Nesmith. On Wednesday, he picked up right where he left off, scoring 43 points on 15-of-25 shooting.
Brunson was also able to get to the line a ton, going 12-for-14 from the charity stripe.
The Knicks’ offense has always been reliant on Brunson, and if he’s going to continue to dominate his matchup, there is going to be more and more isolation for him in Tom Thibodeau’s scheme.
This postseason, Brunson is averaging 22.5 shots per game, and he’s turned that into 29.9 points per game while shooting over 45 percent from the field. As long as the usage remains in the same ballpark, Brunson should go for 30 or more in Game 2.
