The conference round of the NBA Playoffs resumes with one standalone matchup on Friday night, as Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Pacers and Knicks takes center stage at 8:00 p.m. ET on TNT.
Our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified 5 NBA picks for tonight's contest. Continue below for our NBA best bets and predictions for Friday, May 23.
NBA Playoffs Best Bets, Picks, Predictions: Friday, May 23
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Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Pacers vs. Knicks
By Joe Dellera
The Knicks are down 0-1 in the conference finals after a miraculous comeback by the Pacers in the series opener.
Despite the loss, the Knicks were able to score effectively on offense throughout the entire game.
One player that we bet on last game and we are going to do so again is Karl-Anthony Towns.
KAT has torched Indiana this season scoring 21, 30, 40, and 35 points in four games against them.
They simply do not have a great option to stop his unique combination of interior scoring while simultaneously stretching the floor.
I’m expecting maximum effort from KAT tonight.
Pick: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 23.5 Points (-115)
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Pacers vs. Knicks
The Pacers have built one of the deepest benches in the league, which complements their high-octane offense.
Indiana has played at the third-fastest pace in these playoffs, averaging 99.03 possessions per game.
Since part of the Pacers' strategy is to wear down the opponent, their bench is somewhat undervalued when we look at the player props market.
Indiana’s forward Obi Toppin is one player who comes to mind as he’s averaging 16.4 minutes per game during the postseason.
Toppin is an impact player because he provides options in attacking the basket and can play above the rim in pick-and-roll scenarios.
The Dayton product has a points + rebounds + assists (PRA) prop of 12.5—a number he has covered in 12 of his last 15 games on the road.
If we look at his performance against the Knicks, Toppin has also cleared this line in 10 of the last 13 meetings.
It must be extra special for Toppin anytime he comes up against the Knicks, considering he spent his first three seasons in New York before the team traded him to Indiana.
If the Pacers ever need a jolt of energy in this series, they know they can count on a motivated Toppin to come off the bench and deliver a maximum effort.
Given the Pacers’ style of play and Toppin’s motivation to face his former team, this PRA line feels a bit short at 12.5.
Pick: Obi Toppin Over 12.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-120)
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Pacers vs. Knicks
I was expecting to approach this series with zig-zag betting.
I backed Knicks in Game 1, and pretty much was going to back the losing team no matter what in Game 2… until one of the craziest endings in NBA history happened.
The market reopened for Game 2 with a heavy desperation tax priced into the Knicks.
I thought the lines would be around -4.5 again, so seeing -6 on the board, it's Pacers or nothing for me tonight.
Pick: Pacers +6 (-110)
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Pacers vs. Knicks
Indiana's defensive approach in Game 1 resulted in Turner playing further from the basket. He was tied for 5th on the team with 9 rebound chances. Turner averaged 7.2 rebounds on 16.6 rebound chances in the second round, but that was a much different matchup.
Turner's 5 rebounds in Game 1 came with an average rebound distance of 8.3 feet. It was the 2nd-highest mark on the team. That might be the best representation of Turner's positioning in Game 1.
For context, his average rebound distance was 5.1 feet in the regular season. In the second round against Cleveland, when he was guarding a more traditional center, Jarrett Allen, Turner's average rebound distance was 5.3 feet.
It's common for rebound distance to correlate with position and defensive assignment. Point guards Tyrese Haliburton and TJ McConnell were at 10+ feet in the regular season, which makes sense since they're chasing around fellow guards on the perimeter.
Long rebounds are their only opportunities. Interior players like Obi Toppin and Thomas Bryant posted average rebound distances under 6 feet, since they're typically guarding other forwards and centers near the basket.
Unless Indiana adjusts their defensive approach, Turner will likely see a diminished role on the glass in this series.
Pick: Myles Turner Under 6.5 Rebounds (-130)
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Pacers vs. Knicks
By Joe Dellera
This is juicy but Nesmith plays extremely physical defense, and the Pacers need him out there to defend Brunson and his ability to stretch the floor on offense.
