2025 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Preview: Pacers vs. Knicks Odds, Predictions
The Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks slayed the Goliaths on their side of the bracket to reach the Eastern Conference Finals. Our Pacers vs. Knicks prediction breaks down the series from a betting perspective.
Our best sports betting sites give the Knicks -144 odds to advance, which implies a 59.02% chance the No. 3 seed is crowned the conference champion. New York also has the second-best NBA championship odds (+500), whereas Indiana is listed at +800.
Our favorite AI chatbot also weighs in on the series, as ChatGPT provides analysis and predictions for the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals. Be sure to check out our Western Conference Finals preview, too.
๐ Pacers vs. Knicks series odds
Odds via our best sports betting apps, updated in real time.
๐ฎ Pacers vs. Knicks prediction
These teams met in a playoff thriller last year, a series Indiana eventually won in seven games. However, these are two different squads, which only adds to the intrigue in an even more high-stakes series.
The Knicks reloaded in the offseason, notably adding Karl-Anthony Towns, whose five double-doubles helped lift New York over Boston. The best way to describe the way Tom Thibodeau's team plays basketball is gritty and chaotic.
Nobody embodies these adjectives more than NBA Clutch Player of the Year odds winner Jalen Brunson. He's been the Knicks' emotional and physical leader and has helped bring them back from a few huge, late deficits this postseason.
Indiana is efficiency personified
The difference is, New York isn't playing a team in this series that can get cold from 3-point range and completely shut down - like the Celtics did on numerous occasions. The Pacers dictate play, often opting to play quickly, using the third-fastest tempo of any playoff team (trailing only Memphis and Oklahoma City).
Indiana has perhaps the most versatile offensive onslaught of any team remaining. The Pacers play excellent team basketball, as evidenced by six players averaging 10-plus in the series win over Cleveland and the team ranking third in assists per game during the regular season.
Rick Carlisle's bunch also averages more points per possession than Minnesota, New York, or Oklahoma City. There's a consistency and efficiency about this Indiana team that oozes maturity. The Pacers are 4-1 on the road this postseason, so does the Knicks' homecourt advantage truly matter as much as pundits believe?
This series could be decided by the razor's edge, but history, statistics, and pure value point toward Indiana. We'll take a flyer on the Pacers to win the Eastern Conference Finals as plus-money underdogs at our best sportsbooks.
๐ค Eastern Conference Final prediction: Pacers (+135 via Caesars)
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๐ Pacers vs. Knicks stats comparison
All advanced and traditional statistics from NBA.com; rank based on the regular season.
| Statistic | Pacers | Knicks |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive rating | 115.4 (9th) | 117.3 (5th) โ |
| Defensive rating | 113.3 (T-13th) | 113.3 (T-13th) |
| Net rating | 2.1 (13th) | 4.0 (8th) โ |
| Points per game | 117.4 (7th) โ | 115.8 (9th) |
| Assists per game | 29.2 (3rd) โ | 27.5 (11th) |
| Rebounds per game | 41.8 (28th) | 42.6 (24th) โ |
| Field-goal percentage | 48.8% (3rd) โ | 48.6% (5th) |
| 3-point percentage | 36.8% (9th) | 36.9% (8th) โ |
| Turnovers per game | 13.2 (T-3rd) โ | 13.3 (5th) |
| Opponent points per game | 115.1 (17th) | 111.7 (9th) โ |
| Blocks per game | 5.5 (6th) โ | 4.0 (29th) |
| Steals per game | 8.5 (9th) โ | 8.2 (13th) |
๐ฐ Pacers vs. Knicks best bets
Eastern Conference Finals odds via FanDuel.
| Bet | Odds | Implied win probability | Profit ($10 bet) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ Pacers to win the series | +122 | 45.05% | $12.20 |
| ๐ฐ Series total: 7 games | +186 | 34.97% | $18.60 |
| ๐ฏ Eastern Conference Finals MVP: Tyrese Haliburton | +175 | 36.36% | $17.50 |
๐ค Pacers vs. Knicks AI prediction
We asked ChatGPT, a large language model from OpenAI, for its best prediction to win the Eastern Conference Finals. While the AI chatbot is not a traditional sports betting model, it can provide additional information and insights into the betting markets.
๐ก AI prediction: Knicks 4-3
๐ฐ Best odds: +400 via DraftKings
โญ๏ธ Why the Knicks will win
โ Defense-first identity: New York is one of the stingiest units in the league, and playoff series tend to slow into half-court chess matches where stops matter most.
โ Madison Square Garden energy: The Knicksโ crowd is one of the leagueโs most raucous, swinging momentum late in games. Winning home tilts puts enormous pressure on the Pacers.
โ Experience and size: OG Anunobyโs lockdown perimeter defense and Mitchell Robinsonโs rim protection give the Knicks more proven pieces than Indiana.
๐๏ธ Pacers vs. Knicks schedule: 2025 Eastern Conference Finals
- Game 1: Wednesday, May 21 at Madison Square Garden in New York (8 p.m. ET, TNT)
- Game 2: Friday, May 23 at Madison Square Garden in New York (8 p.m. ET, TNT)
- Game 3: Sunday, May 25 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis (8 p.m. ET, TNT)
- Game 4: Tuesday, May 27 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis (8 p.m. ET, TNT)
- Game 5: Thursday, May 29 at Madison Square Garden in New York (8 p.m. ET, TNT)*
- Game 6: Saturday, May 31 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis (8 p.m. ET, TNT)*
- Game 7: Sunday, June 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York (8 p.m. ET, TNT)*
* if necessary
๐ต Best NBA betting sites
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