The Knicks looked great in the first two games of their second-round series with the Pacers.
Jalen Brunson continues to prove he’s superhuman, dropping 72 points.
They out-rebounded Indiana in each game (28 total by Josh Hart) and also got to the line more often.
Knicks vs. Pacers Game 3 prediction
(7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
But I’m worried about the Knicks heading on the road on a short turnaround.
Injuries are mounting.
They’re already without Mitchell Robinson, Bojan Bogdanovic, Julius Randle and OG Anunoby, and Brunson suffered an injury in Game 2.
The Knicks could be running with a six-man rotation in Friday’s Game 3, or they’ll have to give heavier minutes to players like Jericho Sims (-5.2 estimated box plus-minus) or Alec Burks (-1.5 estimated box plus-minus).
Running a short rotation on short rest is not ideal against the uptempo Pacers, who run at the fastest pace in the playoffs (102 possessions per game).
Moreover, I didn’t mind how the Pacers played in the first two games.
They ran their offense and scored in both games, averaging around 130 points per 100 possessions.
Betting on the NBA?
They kept both games close until the fourth quarter, blowing the wins with lackluster late-game execution.
With home-court advantage flipped to Indiana and monster depth concerns barreling down on New York, I think the Pacers will bounce back in Game 3 with a double-digit win.
The play: Pacers -7.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
